Not much is known about the Karen Mine, a captive coal mine for U.S. Steel. It was opened by the 1950s. Rob Deavers went down to southeastern Washington County to take a look at the area where the Karen Mine was, and maybe learn a little more about it. He writes, "I talked to a local resident while I was there. He moved into his residence in the early 1970's and he said the mine was still in operation. When I was a little kid, my parents took us to Ten Mile creek and we always went past there and I don't remember it running, so I'm guessing that it shut down in the mid to late 70's." Rob took all of these photos as well:
Also a gentleman named John D. wrote in and stated, "U.S. Steel operated the Karen Mine just north of Vesta 5 on the Monongahela River. A tipple, long gone, crossed PA Route 88, but there are still mine buildings on the riverbank and some large piers in the river (I think). The mine buildings don't look like typical mine buildings. There is no tipple ... That was torn down in the 60s, I think. Someone has turned that area into a marina. I have a picture of the tipple as seen in the 1950s. If I can find it, I'll send you a scan. Near the Karen mine is a settlement called Maple Glen. I think it's a coal patch."
