Alabama By-Products Company, Coke Plant, Highway 79 (Pinson Valley Parkway), Tarrant City

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER ALA,37-TARR,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Drummond Description: 75 acre site with rail access to CSX and Norfolk Southern, contains three batteries of coke ovens, including 78 Wilputte coke ovens constructed 25 Koppers ovens constructed in and 29 Koppers ovens constructed in a 30 acre storage yard for coals and coke, shipping, loading facilities, crushing and conveying operations, a power house with historic and current steam engines and boilers and five or six of the original brick industrial buildings including the original power house, bath house and general office building. All structures are built of red brick laid in a similar bond, with brick pilasters ornamenting the gable ends and windows squared. Company officials describe their style as "pilaster style."

Source document Quoted word for word from HAER ALA,37-TARR,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

This report is based upon written documentation donated by the Birmingham Historical Society, reformatted to HABS/HAER guidelines. Significance In the Koppers Company, a Pittsburgh engineering firm, constructed this coke by- product plant for the federal government as part of the World War I effort. Originally known as Birmingham By-Product Coke Company, this coke plant, the National Cast Iron Pipe Plant (est. and other quarry operations in the area attracted workers, who incorporated the City of Tarrant on August 17, ALABAMA BY-PRODUCTS COMPANY (ABC), COKE PLANT (HAER No.

AL-19) (Page 2) population Alabama By-Products Corporation (ABC), formed in December of to mine coal and produce coke, acquired the Koppers plant and increased its capacity several times, with proportionate increases in primary by-products: ammonia, benzol and coal tar. The plant has operated continuously ever since. It produces foundry coke, crude light oil, tar and sulphate of ammonia. It has been known as the ABC Coke Division of Drummond since the ABC-Drummond merger in Drummond promotional literature claims the Tarrant plant produces more foundry coke than any other plant in the U.S. Capacity production is tons of coke a day. This coke is shipped by truck and rail. Drummond is the sole supplier for General Motors Central Foundry Division, the largest U.S. consumer of foundry coke.

Drummond mines in northern Jefferson and Walker Counties supply metallurgical coal to the Tarrant plant. Historic plant buildings and coke ovens dating to the at this active plant are in excellent condition. ALABAMA BY-PRODUCTS COMPANY (ABC), COKE PLANT (HAER NO. AL-19) (Page 3) SOURCES CONSULTED Porter, The Storv of the Alabama Bv-Products Corporation Its Origin and Growth, prepared for presentation to Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, "The ABC's of Coke Production," Horizons. Drummond Company Magazine, Summer, pp. 2-6 White, Marjorie, The Birmingham District, p. 17 ABC Report to Stockholders. Alabama Bv-Products Corporation - A History with a Brief Glance into the Future. Birmingham, Strickland, James H.

to Marjorie White Correspondence, Site Visit led by Philip Grover, Jim Strickland, Drummond Public Relations; Duren (former plant superintendent), 360 Kilough Circle,