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RENTON, PENNSYLVANIA

The Renton mines were opened by Union Collieries Company between 1916 and 1920. A 1921 Coal Age article stated, "The relations between the company and its employees have always been the best. The houses are of good design and are not crowded together, as in many of our mining towns. The well-kept lawns and thriving gardens exemplify the progress made in the Americanization of the foreigners of the mixed population of Renton. Every man is judged by his good qualities and not by his nationality; be he Pole, Hungarian or Italian, no discrimination is made."On July 19, 1920 an explosion in the Renton No. 3 mine killed nine men and wrecked the mine. In later years Renton was a Consolidation Coal operation. In 1985 Consol sold the Renton mine to Villa Coal Company. Villa abandoned the mine in June 1987 and subsequently filed for bankruptcy After that, Renton was periodically in the news due to underground mine being on fire. As of 2017 Pennsylvania environmental officials are still trying to extinguish the underground coal fire.

Circa 1921 Coal Age image

Century old photo of the Renton tipple and shaft head frame.

2017 image by author

Renton, Pa. coal patch town.

2017 image by author

Former coal company houses.

2017 image by author

Renton patch town back yards.

2017 image by author

Well-kept yards.

2017 image by author

According to a Renton resident this was once the company store. There was once a barber shop and pool hall in here, too. Sorry for the poor photograph, but the structure is overgrown.

2017 image by author

Ruins of the Renton coal mine.

2017 image by author

This was once the supply house for the Renton mine.

2017 image by author

Former car repair shop.

2017 image by author

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