Agenda:Our journey into Pittsburgh's steel making past begins with a visit to the Bulgarian Macedonian Educational and Cultural Center (BMEC) (451 West 8th Avenue, West Homestead, PA 15120), the center of social and cultural life for Bulgarian and Macedonian immigrant families who settled in the Pittsburgh area in the early decades of the twentieth century. At this site you’ll enjoy a delicious immigrant-inspired lunch with regional specialties such as stuffed cabbage rolls, pierogis, halushki, and a sampler of the Pittsburgh Cookie Table. During lunch, our tour guide will present The Story of Steel, an interactive presentation that details the rise of industry and immigration in the Pittsburgh region.
After lunch we will depart the BMEC for the 15 minute drive to the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark (801 Carrie Furnace Blvd., Rankin, PA 15104) where we will tour the grounds and structures to experience what it was like to be an Iron Worker producing the molten material used in the steel-making process. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006, Carrie, as it’s affectionately known, entices visitors to marvel at the scale and legacy of its industrial might. A remnant of the legendary U.S. Steel Homestead Steel Works, the Carrie Blast Furnaces are a vestige of Pittsburgh’s 20th-century domination of the steel industry. During this two-hour guided walking tour, we'll hear stories about the site’s technology (including why it is nationally significant) as well as get to know the culture of its workers. We'll also learn a bit about the iron-making process, from the movement of the raw materials to the tapping of the furnaces that produced fiery molten iron. OPTIONAL: After the tour of the Blast Furnaces, attendees may visit The Bost Building National Historic Landmark in Homestead (623 E. Eighth Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120). This building, a former hotel and bar, was at the center of one of America labor history's most dramatic episodes-the Homestead Lockout and Strike of 1892. Now a steel heritage museum, visitors can enjoy permanent exhibits and view films about the Homestead Steel Works, the Battle of Homestead and the ethnic and cultural heritage of the area. The Schedule for our October 18th AIHA tour is as follows (Directions to the meeting location are also linked at top right): 11:50 AM - Meet at the BMHC for ethnic lunch and presentation, The Story of Steel. (Point A - 451 West 8th Avenue, West Homestead, PA 15120). 1:00 PM - Depart the BMHC en route to the Carrie Blast Furnaces (Point B - drive time approximately 15 minutes to the site (801 Carrie Furnace Blvd., Rankin, PA 15104). 3:30 PM - Depart Blast Furnace for optional visit to the Bost Building exhibits and films. (Point C - 623 E. Eighth Avenue, Homestead, PA 15120). Flat, closed-toe walking shoes are required for all participants on this tour, in addition to a signed waiver. This walking tour is outdoors and rain or shine; participants should dress for the weather. |
Event Details:
If you have any questions regarding registration or payment, contact Christy Kirsch at [email protected].
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