Country United States County Luzerne Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) Elevation 196 m Local time Friday 5:23 AM | State Pennsylvania Township Jenkins FIPS code 42-42079 Zip code 18640 Area code 570 | |
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Weather 1°C, Wind SW at 10 km/h, 50% Humidity | ||
Port Griffith is an unincorporated community found within the Greater Pittston town of Jenkins Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States.
Contents
Map of Port Griffith, PA 18640, USA
Geography
Port Griffith is located at 41°18′39″N 75°48′38″W (41.310914, -75.810472) in the Greater Pittston Area of Jenkins Township. Its elevation is 643 feet (196 m). Port Griffith can be found bordering the Susquehanna River.
History
On January 22, 1959, a cave-in occurred at the Knox Coal Mine in Greater Pittston's Port Griffith. Twelve people died, 69 others escaped. One miner, Amadeo Pancotti, was awarded the Carnegie Medal for leading 32 miners to safety. The bodies of the twelve who died were never recovered, despite efforts of divers and an attempt to pump the water out of the mining shafts. The Knox Mine Disaster essentially shut down the mining industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania.