Abandoned Knox Coal Distribution Center

The abandoned building. lukesegarra (Atlas Obscura User)

Hidden away and engulfed by nature is an abandoned coal distribution facility that endured multiple fires and years of weathering. Its surviving buildings hold the clues that suggest what this place was used for.

Back in its heyday, this site was used for storing and transferring coal. The Knox Coal Mine company built as a hub for transporting coal by road, railroad, and boat back when Pittston was essential for mining and coal transportation.

But as with many mines, the Knox Mine disaster saw an end to its operations. The disaster spurred new safety laws, and the mine was unable to keep pace with the changing economic environment.

Today, the buildings remain abandoned, nearly swallowed by the woods. The first structure you’ll see from the path by the road has a huge iron frame roof that has long since collapsed due to fires and weathering. There is an iron beam in this main building that has an embossed business logo. This large open building is connected to three other buildings, along with two small storage structures that have been reclaimed by nature. Before these two is a loading dock covered with graffiti.

The structures behind the main building are a storage closet, a path to a large pile of bricks, and another opened-up room that allows you to climb up the wall (at your own risk), and a large area with garage-type doors. The space has some coal car tracks that may have been used to slide these cars for loading onto trucks.

Update as of October 2022: This site is now a working factory.

Know Before You Go

There is a "Private Property: Keep Out" sign that is hidden in the brush by the entrance. But if you ask the municipality for permission to enter and let them know you will be careful, and promise not to destroy the site, they are more than happy to talk to you about the history.

The building is to the left of 100 Thompson Street. No address is listed for it. You have to walk up the road a bit until you see a small stone wall. The site is past the chain blocking cars from pulling in. Walk up that. There is a path to the main structure that sets you in the middle of the property. There are two small gray structures that are straight ahead, the path to the middle structure is way before that to the left. Please be careful when you visit any abandoned sites. Always bring someone with you, tick repellent, and a camera.