The Ardara coke works contain two batteries of block ovens and sit between Brush Creek and Route 993. These ovens were constructed in 1871 and were a sort of Carnegie experiment. He was attempting to make coke from a fine slack coal instead of the usual Connellsville coal. The demand for slack coal in steam engines closed these coke works in 1900.
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| The cement blocks on these ovens were almost certainly added at later date. |
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| It would appear that the Brush Creek side of the ovens is prone to flooding more than the Route 993 side. |
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| One of the Brush Creek side ovens. |
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| Inside of the oven. |
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| A Norfolk Southern train traveling on the hillside above the ovens. |
So cool! You can see these if you stand on Rt 993, close to where the speed limit changes to 45mph. A piece of history in our own back yard. We should be proud.
ReplyDeleteif i came down from scotch hill 1 onto 993 what direction do i go to find this place. my daughter needs to take photos and this would make a great place to photo. i cant find it on google maps.
ReplyDeleteYou would go right toward Trafford. Go a half mile or so and you'll see a pull off on the left before you get to Aradara. Walk down toward the creek and you'll run into them.
ReplyDeleteMy great-grandfather, Nicola Brjan, worked at the Larimer mine when he came to the US from Croatia in the 1890s. That's where these coke ovens are. He was injured and could not work inside, but Westmoreland Coal gave him a surface job where he worked until he retired. My grandfather, father, and I also worked in the mines - 4 generations in all. We lived in Trafford.
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