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RUSSELLTON NO. 1 & NO. 2

Russellton Mine No. 1 was opened around 1904 by the Bessemer Coal and Coke Company. 13 years later they built Russellton No. 2 down the road. Later these became captive mines of Republic Steel. Republic Steel was absorbed into LTV Steel in the 1970s, and LTV closed Russellton No. 2 in 1982. This was the last large Freeport seam coal mine in northeastern Allegheny County. Russellton was a coal patch town, but it was more than that, too. There was, and still is, a small independent commerical district. Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad had housing at Russellton for their employees, too.


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This was the coal company's office at Russellton, PA.


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Duplex patch houses at Russellton are typical of coal patch towns in Western Pennsylvania.


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The housing plan at Russellton No. 1 is somewhat chaotic. In the background is a duplex house where two different people own the two sides of the house. This is evidenced by the two colors of roofing shingles. I don't know about other parts of the country, but this is definitely a "Pennsylvaniaism."


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This was once the Russellton No. 1 hoist house.


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Probably ruins of the tipple or mine shaft.


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Russellton No. 2 is built on a steep hillside.


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The insulbrick on this Russellton No. 2 patch house may have been installed by the coal company years ago.


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Russellton No. 2 also features these nice homes, which may have been a "bosses row" for mine managment.


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Another view of these houses.


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Looking down the main drag in Russellton No. 2. In the background is the coal refuse pile (slate dump).


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Russellton No. 2 slate dump. Some people also call these boney piles or coal refuse dumps.


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Apparently this refuse dump was recenlty being remined to extract the remaining coal out of it.


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Russellton No. 2 back yards.


Blueprints of the Russellton tipple.


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