What is Coal? A black rock found deep within the earth. Grownups call it a "fossil fuel" meaning that it was formed from rotted plants such as trees and grass, and it can be used as an energy source for burning. It creates heat to warm houses and make steel.

What is Coke? Coke is made from coal. The coal is burned in a special oven made of bricks. These ovens look a lot like beehives because they are fat at the bottom, skinny at the top, and dome in shape. The material that is left after the coal is burned is called coke. Coke is sometimes called the bones of coal.
Coke is mostly used to make steel.

A little over 100 years ago this area was a very busy and exciting place to be. Our country was growing. It was becoming a modern industrialized society. The steel industry played a very important part in making that change take place, and the coke from the Connellsville Coke Region helped to make the steel that was one of the main materials for building. As America produced more and more steel at cheaper and cheaper prices, she could build taller buildings, longer bridges, and bigger ships. The everyday life of the average American also changed. There were machines around the house to make life easier and more cars to drive, but the most important thing was that there were more jobs.

The center of the steel making industry was Pittsburgh, and the Connellsville Coke Region supplied Pittsburgh with the coal and coke necessary to make the steel.

These photographs were taken in Connellsville, on Crawford Avenue looking towards the bridge, during 1906. The arch is made of coke. The electric sign on top of the arch was the first use of electricity for that purpose in the city. At night the archs would light up, making the dark street bright.