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Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area |
State Senator Jay Costa and August R. Carlino, CEO of Rivers of Steel, talk with Bill Longworth while being filmed for Senate Journal at the Carrie Furnace complex Aug. 5.
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What's in Store: Great Finds in our Museum Shop
"Hmong Embroidery Clothe"
By: Yia Yang Vue
Gorgeous, hand-stitched patterned cloth is made by a local Hmong embroidery artist, Yia Yang Vue. Most Hmongs first settled in the Pittsburgh region as the Vietnam War was ending. The Hmong people originally lived in the mountain country of China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, and produce works of art reflective of their culture, such as the ones in the shop that can be used as fine d�cor anywhere. The cost is only $45, so be sure to check it out at the Rivers of Steel Museum Store!
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Carrie Furnace Tours
Rivers of Steel Takes the Public Inside
the Carrie Furnace ComplexRivers of Steel National Heritage Area is operating public Hard Hat Tours of the Carrie Furnaces at the former U. S. Steel Homestead Works.
Constructed in 1906, the furnaces stood at the heart of U.S. Steel's Homestead Works until 1979. At one time, the furnaces and the steelworkers who labored in them produced more than 1,000 tons of iron a day. Now, these 92-foot-tall structures stand as sentinels to Pittsburgh's steel heritage.
Public Tour Times & Dates: 8:30 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 10 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Aug. 28, Sept. 18 and Oct. 9 Approx. 1.5 hours long Tickets are $25 per person and reservations can be made by contacting Stacy Drane at 412.464.4020, ext. 32 or [email protected] |
Donor Thanks
Rivers of Steel gratefully acknowledges these patrons who have recently donated artifacts, photographs or documents to our collections:Virginia Hess, Karen Reid Trettel,
Gizella Chasko, Bob Prah. John W. Eichleay, Jr.
Amber Rae Fesh
Eric Gress
Virginia Hess
Jacqueline Lederer
Ronald and Irene Niziol.
If you have artifacts or documents that you are interested in donating, please contact
Ron Baraff, Director of Museum Collections and Archives: 412-464-4020, Ext. 21 / [email protected]
or Tiffani Emig, Curator of Collections: 412-464-4020, Ext. 22 / [email protected] |
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Upcoming Events
Babushkas
and Hard Hat Tours
9 a.m. Aug. 14 starting at Station Square, Pittsburgh
Experience the lives of the immigrants who poured into the Monongahela Valley to work in the mills. $35 per person. Reservations required. Info: 412.464.4020, ext. 32 or [email protected].
Cycle Through Pittsburgh's Industrial History
9 a.m. Aug. 21 starting at Station Square, Pittsburgh
An exciting bike tour that gives a trail-side look at Pittsburgh's industrial heritage. $20 per person. Reservations required. Info: 412.464.4020, ext. 32 or [email protected]
Become a member of Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area and get a tour discount.
Visit www.riversofsteel.com
for more information.
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A special thank you
to our Interns
Kevin Blatz - Colagate University
Cate Flanagan - Duquesne University
Pam Litchfield - Duquesne University
Kate McFadden - Duquesne University
Christine Yeh - Case Western Reserve University
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Carrie Furnace Complex Filmed for Pair of PCN Shows
On July 13th, the Senate Democrat Broadcast Services filmed Capitol Connection at the Carrie Furnace complex, shown on the  Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN). The state's cable network program was centered around historical renovations that can help economically revitalize their locales. Sen. Jay Costa talked with Ron Baraff, Director of Musuem Collections and Archives at Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area during filming in July . The film crew revisited Aug. 5 for the opening piece in Senator Jay Costa's television program Senate Journal, this time talking with Rivers of Steel CEO August R. Carlino (shown above) and Bill Longworth, Director of the Senate Democratic Broadcast Services in Harrisburg. Capitol Connection ran Aug. 1 and will run again 2:30 p.m. Aug. 15 and 29. Senate Journal will run 7 p.m. Sundays in August. |
Carrie Furnace Media Day to be held at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 18
Members of the media and civic leaders are cordially invited to get a first-hand look at the Carrie Furnace property and future location of a proposed National Historic Site. In June, Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area acquired the rights to Carrie Furnace No. 6 & 7, which includes additional acreage surrounding the former steel complex. The pair of furnaces operated from 1907 to 1978 and the site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.
Rivers of Steel President and CEO August R. Carlino will briefly discuss the site's potential at 10:30 a.m. Aug.18 at the Carrie Furnace site, along with Congressman Mike Doyle, who recently introduced a bill to establish a Steel Industry National Historic Site in Allegheny County which includes the Carrie Furnace complex, the location of the Battle of Homestead and the Hot Metal Bridge, all centered around Munhall, Rankin, Braddock and Swissvale. Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato will also be in attendance. Mr. Onorato has been integral in his support of the economic redevelopment of Allegheny County's last brownfield.
With plans in the works to develop the property into a National Historic Site, along with the county's plans to develop the surrounding 150-plus acres into a light industrial/residential housing area, the Carrie Furnace acquisition will be an important tool in the revitalization of its neighboring communities.
Rivers of Steel will have former steel workers on-site to provide additional historical information for interviews. Representatives from the surrounding municipalities as well as state and federal representatives are also expected to attend the event and be on hand to answer questions and provide information.
We welcome media members and other guests to get a closer look inside the Carrie Furnace site and view the ore yards, hot stoves, cast house and torpedo car. Photographers and videographers are welcome. Light refreshments will be available.
Please RSVP to Sherris Moreira at 412.464.4060, ext. 46 or [email protected] |
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 Co-Curator of A Common Canvas: Pennsylvania's New Deal Post Office Murals exhibit to give free gallery talk Thursday
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is hosting Dave Lembeck, Co-Curator of A Common Canvas: Pennsylvania's New Deal Post Office Murals, at 7 p.m. August 12 at the Bost Building, 623 E. 8th Ave., Homestead, for a free gallery talk centered around the New Deal Post Office Murals currently on display at the Bost Building, as well as post office murals in other parts of the state. A native of State College, David Lembeck began researching Pennsylvania's New Deal post office murals more than ten years ago. Since that time, Lembeck has assembled a rich history based on a wide range of sources, from oral histories to rare archival documents. Free to the public.
Info: 412.464.4020, ext. 22 |
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 Rivers of Steel Board Tours Mon Valley Sites
On July 22, The Rivers of Steel board of directors and staff held their annual outing, visiting sites in the Mon Valley. Stops included RIDC Riverplace in Duquesne, the new hostel in Braddock, both the Braddock and Homestead Carnegie Libraries and the Carrie Furnace site. Board members had the opportunity to talk with RIDC Marketing VP F. Brooks Robinson, Jr., Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, artist Tim Kaulen - who helped created the well-known "deer head" sculpture at the Carrie Furnace site, and Sean Gibson, great-grandson of famous Homestead Grays Negro League player Josh Gibson. An authentic Bulgarian dinner was held at the Bulgarian Macedonian Educational and Cultural Center with center board president Patricia French sharing amusing anecdotes of her youth and heritage growing up in the mill town of Homestead.
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Pa Leaders Approve Funding for Heritage Areas Program
Harrisburg - The value of heritage areas to Pennsylvania's economy was recently recognized by Commonwealth lawmakers during the deliberation and passage of the 2010-2011 State Budget. The legislature partially restored the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (DCNR) Heritage Area line item that had been zeroed out in the previous budget year. In addition, under the leadership of House Speaker Keith McCall, an article attached to the budget legislatively establishes the Heritage Area Program within DCNR and authorizes funding support for eligible grants and investment programs.
These actions demonstrate an understanding of heritage areas' ability to forget cooperative alliances spurring economic development through significant leveraging of resources and financial investment in communities across the state.
Pennsylvania is the birthplace of America and the engine that drove the industrial revolution that made America the greatest nation on earth, and I believe we have to do everything we can to celebrate that history," House Speaker Keith R. McCall, D-Carbon, said. "When you also consider that tourism is one of the state's biggest economic drivers, it just made sense to fund HeritagePA in the budget to support vital programs and help encourage investment at every level while preserving our rich history for future generations."
Established in 1989, the Pennsylvania Heritage Areas Program is a smartly built, multi-faceted regional strategy guided by five interrelated goals including economic development; partnerships; cultural conservation; recreation and open space; and education and interpretation. PA's 12 heritage areas have joined together as HeritagePA. This key component of the state's tourism industry is administered by the state's DNCR.
Pennsylvania's heritage regions are about the eras of steel and iron-making, coal mining, the oil boom, canal and railroad building, the blazing of early roads and highways, and life on the frontier. They are about the influx of immigrants, the challenges of triumphs of a determined people, the birth of liberty and independence. They are about transforming a frontier and forging a nation into an industrial giant. They tell the stories of why Pennsylvania became the heart of America and the state that built a nation.
Understanding the power of heritage-based development, DCNR partnered with other state agencies to create the program as both a means and an end to enrich the quality of life in Pennsylvania by conserving and enhancing the Commonwealth's resources and promoting its heritage for tourism development.
Media Release from HeritagePA. For more info, visit www.heritagepa.net.
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Volunteer Spotlight: Joseph A. Tworzydlo  The former 3rd Helper (Cinder Snapper) at Carrie Furnaces, began working at the Carrie furnace complex when he was 18 years old. "I really had to 'grow up' fast to survive in this new culture," he said. Once the plant closed, Joseph went back to school and became a registered nurse, later earning a Bachelor's degree in biology. He has worked at Washington Hospital for 21 years as an Information Systems Instructor. He got involved again with Carrie Furnace after seeing information about the Rivers of Steel "Hard Hat" tours. "After 26 years away from Carrie at the time, reading about all of this really stirred a flood of memories of probably the most eye opening but exciting time of my life," Joseph said. His role as a volunteer includes being an "interpreter" in the Cast House remnants of the blast furnace. "I totally enjoyed explaining the workings of the Cast House and telling true and exciting stories of my times at Carrie." He also had the opportunity to share his experiences with KDKA and Dave Crawley for "On Q Magazine" in 2007, and described it as "a proud moment" to share with his family, friends and current co-workers. Of Polish and Slovakian heritage, he was raised in a small coal mining town of Richeyville, Pa. "Growing up in this town and hearing all of the stories from my uncles and aunts on life in the 'patch' always kept me somewhat grounded and proud of my heritage," he said. "To this day I have never forgotten where I came from."
Favorite restaurant: Union Grill, Washington, Pa: http://theuniongrill.com
Favorite Hobby: Fly fishing
Best part of living in the Pittsburgh region: I enjoy living in a diverse ethnic area with many communities and families including myself still observing and maintaining their unique ethnic traditions/culture. I also enjoy the beautiful rolling land terrain and the nice mix of country and cities within close distances. |
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In The News
$17.5 Million for Steel Heritage sought
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| 20 % off
Student
Discount
on Tours |
Special Back-to-School discount for students of all ages. Book a tour before the end of August and recieve a 20 percent discount. Will need confirmation of current school affiliation.Tours include Carrie Furnace, Babushka and Hard Hats and Steel Industrial Bicycle Tours.For times and dates, visit www.riversofsteel.com | | Offer Expires: Aug. 31, 2010 |
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