DENBO, PA (VESTA NO. 6)
One of many coal properties owned by Vesta Coal Co., which was a subsidiary of Jones & Laughlin (J&L) Steel, in Washington County, Vesta No. 6 was opened in 1903. The coal company town
they built on the banks of the Monongahela River is named Denbo. Within 10 years of opening, Vesta No. 6 mine disappeared from state mining records. I can only assume that either the lease of Pittsburgh seam allotted to No. 6 was small or else No. 6 became absorbed into the adjacent Vesta No. 4 or 5 mine.
David Shannon writes, "In about 2009, I was a chief of survey for the construction manager for the turnpike project from Brownsville to California. We were excavating for the river bridge at Denbo at what I think was the Vesta 6 mine. We apparently punched into the slope entrance. The contractor had to excavate the entire opening and construct a new bulkhead but had to check air first. Turned out to be excellent air quality. We actually entered about 100' but it was flooded beyond. One pic showed a shovel left up against the side wall and another showed an old shovel that apparently fell into the concrete roof when pouring the concrete when it was built."
David shared the following pictures.
1920s image from a "Keystone Coal Catalog"
Concrete-lined haulageway in the Vesta No. 6 coal mine.
Aug. 2002 image by author
21st century scene in Denbo, Pa.
Aug. 2002 image by author
The biggest section of the Denbo "patch town" for housing the families of coal miners.
Aug. 2002 image by author
Another scene showing Denbo coal company houses..
Apr. 2009 image by author
Vesta No. 6 along the Monongahela River.
Circa 1908 "Mines and Minerals" image via Google Books
Coke from the Vesta mines was barged down the Monongahela River
to Jones & Laughlin Steel's giant beehive coke plant in the Hazlewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, shown here.
About this picture, David said, " The red brick building in the background was the Vesta bath-house I was told; it was removed by the Turnpike. Someone said there were still baskets for clothes in it."