(History and description of the Carpentertown Mines & Coke Works, with additional data and pictures adapted from "Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania: An Inventory of Historic Engineering and Industrial Sites, 1994,"  America's Industrial Heitage Project, National Park Service, Historic American Buildings Survey / Historic American Engineering Record, U.S. Department of the Interior, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.)

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Joe , Thanks for the last post. It helps me to identify the mine where they worked. The Carpentertown Mine No. 2 and no. 3. Was it the mine located on Carpentertown Mine Road, east of PA Rt. 981, sort of behind the present Mt. Pleasant High School. The road back there is just past the Turnpike, toward Mt. Pleasant. The Carpentertown Mine and coke works, with the brick houses, the one on PA rt 981, before you get to the Turnpike, was that Carpentertown Mine No. 1. This is the one they have been reclaiming the area around the coke ovens. Were most of the coke works have been totally destroyed. Any information you can furnish about the coal miners or the mines in that area would be greatly appreciated. Also anything about United Mine also would be of great help. Also would you have any pictures of the mines in that area. I live in New Alexandria, but do get down that way every now and then. I thank you for your time and effort. The men who worked and gave their lives in the coal mines should be remembered.
Ray Washlaski, "The Old Miner" web site.

You are right on all descriptions of the Carpentertown works. Carpentertown Number 1 is currently being used by a construction company as a recycling center for asphalt as that company does work on the turnpike over the bridge you described. Both Number 2 and 3 mines started as strip mines but the veins were I think enough to go deep, at least that what was explained to me. There is a state road called Slope Hill were one may go back to those areas. The road in question is the one to the east of 981 behind the High School. I don't know if any remnants are there or not. As for the United mine, I know very little. I will ask a lady at church who may help you. She was a Polcha and the one who got me to go to your site. She is searching her family tree and was so happy and proud to see a picture of her father on the net. I will ask her to get in touch with you and she may supply pictures. The Polcha family were in charge of the mining site even after it closed. When I was a kid in the forties, the mine had been closed for a few decades and only a partial strip of ovens were making coke. The coal was hauled in. But the buildings were in tact with the exception of the shaft. I could only imagine what was stored or stationed in these building. While I was in the Air Force in the late fifties, some company came in and reclaimed the brick. I guess there was a market for used brick. About five years ago, a firm came in to reclaime the fine coal from the slag dump just as they had done at the Carpenter One site. The slag pile is no more. US Steel has just sold most of the property to an individual who wants to raise horses on the former mine site. The ovens are long gone through decay. I ramble on. I shall try to get in touch with Lois Polcha Lucas. She many be a good souce for you and may have some documents She is the only Polcha still in the area. And she is on the net. Will see on Monday what I can do. See you later. Oh, although my father never worked in the United Mine, some how the family got here. My Father also worked in Whitney and Baggaley during the twenties. Since I am the youngest of my family, I don't know as much as my older siblings. So see you later.