THORPE, WV (GARY NO. 4)

Thorpe was the No. 4 mine and coke works for United States Coal and Coke Co. (the coal mining arm of U.S. Steel). It is the end of the U.S. Steel coal towns as one heads up the Tug Fork.

Duplex company houses that still exist at Thorpe

The Thorpe post office remains active in this structure probably built by U.S. Coal and Coke Co.

Ruins of the beehive coke ovens. It seems that the front facades never last on most coke oven remains.

Retaining wall and rail siding at the remains of the coke ovens. Coke drawers would stand on top of the wall and unload the ovens with long handled shovels, and then dump the shovel full of "quenched" coke into gondola cars. At some later coke works this operation was automated to a degree.

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