Coke Ovens
Perry Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
The bee-hive ovens nearby are typical of the region. Coke was first made from coal near Connellsville in this type oven about 1840. Since 1870 use of coke has been vital to steel making.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
The dome-shaped brick beehive ovens found near here are emblems of a region that once fed the American steel industry. Around 1840, coal from near Connellsville was first baked into coke in ovens of this type, producing the hot, clean-burning fuel that iron and steel making demanded. From 1870 onward, Connellsville coke became indispensable to the mills of Pittsburgh and beyond.
Why it matters
The Connellsville coke district powered the rise of American steel, making this quiet valley a foundation of the nation's industrial might.
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Related events
- ยท First coke-making near Connellsville, c. 1840
Themes & tags
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