Palmer Coking Coal Company

03/25/2026

Are you looking for a beautiful venue for a wedding? A place to hold a company picnic, a family reunion? We still have a few weekends available at ShangriLaOnTheGreen.com. Give us a call to set up a tour.

03/10/2026

History doesn’t just run deep at PCC, it runs especially deep in our hometown - Black Diamond:

The friendly folks in Black Diamond proudly share their history as one of Washington State's most important coal mining towns. I produced this video for Kin...

03/04/2026

Doug Sikes, Rest in Peace

For over half his life, Doug Sikes worked for Palmer Coking Coal and its affiliate, Pacific Coast Coal. He started out on the picking table in 1981, the first and lowest job at a coal mine. There, he sorted chunks of coal from rock and helped maintain the preparation plant that stood on the site of the famous Mine #11, once the deepest underground coal mine in the country.

Douglas Lynn Sikes was born in Pueblo, Colorado, to Billy L. Sikes and Darlene (Bodkin) on August 9, 1956. The family moved to the Renton area when both of his parents began working for Boeing. Doug attended Lindberg High School, where he played football. While in high school, Doug worked at a service station and delivered newspapers. He graduated in 1974 and continued working at the service station for the next few years. He then found employment as an expeditor at the Stetson & Ross machine shop, first in Seattle and later in Kent. Doug joined Palmer Coking Coal in 1981 and worked his way up to assistant shop mechanic under John Craughan.

In 1986, Doug transferred to the John Henry mine, working for Pacific Coast Coal. By then, he was fully operating the washing plant where he’d started five years earlier. When Pacific Coast’s new plant became operational, Doug was the wash plant foreman and also worked in the shop under John Craughan. He worked at Pacific Coast until 2000, when the mine effectively shut down, and most employees were let go.

Sikes became a self-employed general contractor, tearing out carpets and placing the underlayment. He also built several homes with Earl Fisher in the Seattle and Cumberland areas. In 2004, Doug began work for Rubenstein Contract Carpets as a delivery driver.

In June 2008, Doug came back to Palmer after a 22-year absence. He worked as a mechanic under Jackie Hope before ascending to chief mechanic upon Jackie’s retirement. But throughout his career, Doug was the classic jack-of-all-trades employee, able to mend, fix, service, and operate practically any piece of equipment or machinery. It added up to 36 years of employment with both Palmer and Pacific.

Doug married Peggy (Lawler) in 1979, and together they had three children: Scott, Rachel, Katie, and eight grandchildren, seven boys and one girl. Peggy preceded Doug in death, passing in 2021. In his spare time, Doug enjoyed hunting, fishing, remodeling his Black Diamond home, and playing with his grandkids. Doug’s favorite saying was “get ‘er done.”

Doug passed away on February 26, 2026, at age 69. There will be a Memorial service on Wednesday, March 18 at 2:00 p.m. at the New Community Church, 21401 – 244th Ave. S.E., Maple Valley, WA.

01/28/2026

Scott Shafer, R.I.P.

We’re sad to report that Scott Shafer, “Sparky” to many, died Sunday, January 25, 2026, after a car accident near Vantage, induced by a medical condition. He was 67.

Scott was born in Seattle on September 19, 1958, to Van Shafer and Karen (Leverentz). He grew up in a number of places, including Roy, Spanaway, Graham, Parkland, Cle Elum, and Roslyn. Scott attended Cle Elum-Roslyn High School but quit during his senior year.

As a young man, he baled hay in summers, before going to work in the woods at age 17. His first job was at S.F. Hill Lumber Company in Cle Elum, where he was a chaser on the landing. He next drove skidders, then ended up on the log yarder. He stayed there for about 20 years before moving to Buckley for a job with Parker Pacific. There he set chokers, plus ran a yarder and shovel. Scott joined Palmer Coking Coal in April 2001 as a fuel/lube man and assistant mechanic. He worked for Palmer for 24 years, until retiring in early 2025.

He married Joann Bailey of Roslyn in 1986, and they had one daughter, Kennia. Scott’s hobbies included hunting, fishing, trap, and target shooting. When asked for an employee newsletter to share something about himself, Scott responded, “I’m just quiet . . . I like to keep to myself.”

This photo of Sparky was taken by Shelley Arnold at a company picnic on July 10, 2024.

12/03/2025

Are you looking for the perfect gift for the naughty one in your life? Stop in and pick up a lump of coal. All donations go to Vine Maple a place.

09/03/2025

Come get your PCC merchandise now! We are fully stocked with all sizes.

08/12/2025

08/12/2025

Good morning from PCC!

07/11/2025

We will be closed this Saturday for routine maintenance. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

06/30/2025

We will be closed Friday July 4th. We will be open Saturday July 5th from 9:00 - 3:00. Have a safe and happy 4th of July.

05/05/2025

Carl Falk weighs in a truck at the Palmer Coking Coal Co.