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All the United States Pennsylvania Pittston Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center

Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center

The graffitied ruins stand hidden within the Pennsylvania woods.

Pittston, Pennsylvania

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The abandoned building.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
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Charred doorframe from the numerous fires that happened here.   Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
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One of the smaller buildings toward the road.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
  missingfilm / Atlas Obscura User
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Toward the back.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Entrance to back structure.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Maris Bros Philada (iron company sold transportation rigs and structures to move and transport coal).   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Entrance from path.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Near back structure entrance.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Back structure.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Structure toward the road connected to main building.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Building toward the road.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Loading dock?   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
Inside the ruins.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
A closet?   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
One of two opened up buildings near the road.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
The ruins.   lukesegarra / Atlas Obscura User
  ashleykpoulos / Atlas Obscura User
  mishmish3 / Atlas Obscura User
  Michael Kane Photography / Atlas Obscura User
  TheKopasClan / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Hidden away and engulfed by nature is an abandoned coal distribution facility that endured multiple fires and years of weathering. Its surviving buildings hold the clues that suggest what this place was used for.

Back in its heyday, this site was used for storing and transferring coal. The Knox Coal Mine company built as a hub for transporting coal by road, railroad, and boat back when Pittston was essential for mining and coal transportation.

But as with many mines, the Knox Mine disaster saw an end to its operations. The disaster spurred new safety laws, and the mine was unable to keep pace with the changing economic environment.

Today, the buildings remain abandoned, nearly swallowed by the woods. The first structure you’ll see from the path by the road has a huge iron frame roof that has long since collapsed due to fires and weathering. There is an iron beam in this main building that has an embossed business logo. This large open building is connected to three other buildings, along with two small storage structures that have been reclaimed by nature. Before these two is a loading dock covered with graffiti.

The structures behind the main building are a storage closet, a path to a large pile of bricks, and another opened-up room that allows you to climb up the wall (at your own risk), and a large area with garage-type doors. The space has some coal car tracks that may have been used to slide these cars for loading onto trucks.

Update as of October 2022: This site is now a working factory. 

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Mines Coal Industrial Graffiti

Know Before You Go

There is a "Private Property: Keep Out" sign that is hidden in the brush by the entrance. But if you ask the municipality for permission to enter and let them know you will be careful, and promise not to destroy the site, they are more than happy to talk to you about the history.

The building is to the left of 100 Thompson Street. No address is listed for it. You have to walk up the road a bit until you see a small stone wall. The site is past the chain blocking cars from pulling in. Walk up that. There is a path to the main structure that sets you in the middle of the property. There are two small gray structures that are straight ahead, the path to the middle structure is way before that to the left. Please be careful when you visit any abandoned sites. Always bring someone with you, tick repellent, and a camera.

Community Contributors

Added By

lukesegarra

Edited By

missingfilm, TheKopasClan, ashleykpoulos, mishmish3...

  • missingfilm
  • TheKopasClan
  • ashleykpoulos
  • mishmish3
  • Michael Kane Photography

Published

June 21, 2019

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Sources
  • http://www.pittstoncity.org/pittston-age-coal-steam
  • http://www.anthracitemuseum.org/
  • https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manning,_Maxwell_and_Moore
Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center
100 Thompson St
Pittston, Pennsylvania, 18640
United States
41.310022, -75.802487
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