Coke Ovens Shoaf PA last operating ovens 1971-72 William Beal collection

Western Pennsylvania was the heartland of Coke Oven operations from the late 1800s until 1972 when EPA shut them down. This is Shoaf PA near Smithfield Pennsylvania Fayette County. William Beal came to this area the final year of this Coke oven operation. The ovens are still there today and could be a wonderful museum. Coke is and was
the critical element used in making Andrew Carnegie’s steel. HC Frick ran most of these operations on the backs of downtrodden workers. This is a short film from William Beal which I added music to. But you could see how coal was cooked for 36 to 72 hours in these beehive ovens and then pulled out after quenching and cooling. What remained was pure carbon and material that could fire hotter in the blast furnaces of Pittsburgh. Most of this operation was done by hand for many years. You can see some of the later equipment that was used that replaced people. Very high pollutant and dangerous carcinogenic occupation