A coal mine was opened at the edge of Hastings, Pa., by the Rich Hill Coal Co. before 1910. Some sources list the date as early as 1891, but I don't think that is true. That may have been the date that Rich Hill was organized and took out the lease. A small village of coal company houses, known as Slickport, was constructed around the mine. Apparently the coal company built 30 houses.
Later, the company went by the name Rich Hill Coal Mining Corp. Rich Hill No. 1 mine was in the Upper Freeport seam, known locally as the "E" seam. Rich Hill No. 2 mined the Lower Freeport, or "D," seam. Both mines were in less than 5 feet of coal. I have seen correspondence from Rich Hill Coal Mining Corp. confirming that the mines were still open as late as 1958.
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Looking up into Slickport.
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Many of the houses are of masonry construction.
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The coal company mixed different shapes of houses to break up the monotony usually found in coal company towns.
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Coal company towns often have a bad reputation for poor-quality housing, but that was not always true. The houses in Slickport have held up well.
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Lintel of the covered-over drift portal from Rich Hill No. 1 mine.
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The tipple is long gone, but some of the coal mine buildings are extant. They are on private property and are still being utilized.
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I believe that this building was the motor barn. Mine locomotives entered through large doors on the other side.
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Another one of the mine shop buildings. Note the vintage door.
Sources:
http://patheoldminer.rootsweb.ancestry.com (now defunct), by Ray Washlaski. Accessed here through the Wayback Machine.
