History of Coke Mining History Resources Coal Culture In time coke production became the principal consumer of coal from several large mines and beehive coke plants created jobs for hundreds of men The coking facility in Walston near Punxsutawney stood unrivaled as the king of Jefferson Country coke producers The town and plant of Walston founded in 1883 was named in honor of Walston H Brown who was a New York financier of and first