This was an amazing documentary shot at heartbreaking time for this area. I was born and raised a little farther up the Mon River. At the time of this documentary, I was 12 years old. On our infrequent trips to the city, I remember passing all of these places. I was a little too young to remember when the mills were running, but I do remember the aftermath. My grandfather worked in the Donora mill and then worked at the Fairless Works and retired in the early 1970's. My Uncle worked at Clairton. I have a very close friend who actually works at the Clairton Coke Works currently---which seems almost rare in 2018--someone from the Mon Valley who still makes steel(well a primary component anyway). To see all that was accomplished, both built (bridges, buildings, highways and consumer goods) and defended (WWI WWII and Cold War) and to see that manufacturing might just shut down, folded up, demolished and left to rot. I still sometimes ask myself "What in the heck happened?" Many people point many fingers in many directions. In my years at Pitt in the mid 1990's studying economics, many things became clear, and they weren't the usual suspects that many say in this valley. While yes it "may have been true" the labor costs were quite large, many other factors came into play. One for instance was literally there was not as much need for bridge steel. Another reason was one conveyed to me by a man I met on a trip to Florida. He was from Baltimore and used to work in the steel band packaging industry. He said that in the '80's his company could buy German steel much cheaper that was a much higher quality than he could get from Bethlehem Steel eight miles away. He said " we built mills for the war (ww2), and we never made significant updates." Thank you for posting this amazing footage. The Narrator was amazing. His knowledge of these mills sites reminded me of my own father explaining which mills made what or rather which mill used to make what before it closed. I was wondering if you guys were going to go all the way to Allenport. I would have liked to hear what yinz had to say about it. Bravo!!!
Did they tell you at Pitt while you were there that just as much steel is being used now as in 1988 but it's being produced elsewhere ? did they tell you at pitt that Americans should have copied what the Germans were doing just like the Chinese copy what Americans were?
Pretty cool video wish he shot ET...I currently work at the Clairton Coke Works and it's an amazing place...a city to itself, with modern pollution controls and everyday I am proud to be part of the Mon Valley history of steelmaking. People don't give us credit for what we do...these mills are the town. Without them the town's wouldn't exist. USS is hard, rewarding work... it's a great place to be
Hi John - I'm very glad to hear that you're enjoying work at Clairton. You may know this but Clairton Works began as a fully integrated mill but steelmaking there ended in the 1960s. I think a few of the original buildings remain but not sure. I noticed your comment about ET - please see Part 2 of my old Mon Valley video. I think it starts with ET. ua-cam.com/video/_XJHaS9tH0U/v-deo.html
@@djardini yes I have seen old pictures of open hearths, beehive non byproduct ovens , and the lone blast furnace and blower building... the round structures on blast furnaces that you correctly called heaters are known as the stoves, the only remaining building of the integrated period are all the rolling mill buildings all repurposed
Much of your Uncle Jim's video brings back memories of a trip I took south of Pittsburgh through the Mon Valley back in 1996. By the time I drove through this area, much of what's seen in this three part video was demolished. Particularly the USS Homestead Works which at the time of my visit only retained the smoke stacks from the soaking pits and the Carrie (blast) Furnaces across the river. Glad he took the time to document by video and provide narration of the history of these steel making facilities near Pittsburgh that to a large extent are now long gone. Thanks for sharing too!
Instead of all the money wasted on murderous Iraq Wars these plants should have been refitted to produce something for the 21st century back in 1988 what a heartbreaking video
This was an amazing documentary shot at heartbreaking time for this area. I was born and raised a little farther up the Mon River. At the time of this documentary, I was 12 years old. On our infrequent trips to the city, I remember passing all of these places. I was a little too young to remember when the mills were running, but I do remember the aftermath. My grandfather worked in the Donora mill and then worked at the Fairless Works and retired in the early 1970's. My Uncle worked at Clairton. I have a very close friend who actually works at the Clairton Coke Works currently---which seems almost rare in 2018--someone from the Mon Valley who still makes steel(well a primary component anyway).
To see all that was accomplished, both built (bridges, buildings, highways and consumer goods) and defended (WWI WWII and Cold War) and to see that manufacturing might just shut down, folded up, demolished and left to rot. I still sometimes ask myself "What in the heck happened?" Many people point many fingers in many directions. In my years at Pitt in the mid 1990's studying economics, many things became clear, and they weren't the usual suspects that many say in this valley. While yes it "may have been true" the labor costs were quite large, many other factors came into play. One for instance was literally there was not as much need for bridge steel. Another reason was one conveyed to me by a man I met on a trip to Florida. He was from Baltimore and used to work in the steel band packaging industry. He said that in the '80's his company could buy German steel much cheaper that was a much higher quality than he could get from Bethlehem Steel eight miles away. He said " we built mills for the war (ww2), and we never made significant updates."
Thank you for posting this amazing footage. The Narrator was amazing. His knowledge of these mills sites reminded me of my own father explaining which mills made what or rather which mill used to make what before it closed.
I was wondering if you guys were going to go all the way to Allenport. I would have liked to hear what yinz had to say about it.
Bravo!!!
Did they tell you at Pitt while you were there that just as much steel is being used now as in 1988 but it's being produced elsewhere ? did they tell you at pitt that Americans should have copied what the Germans were doing just like the Chinese copy what Americans were?
Thanks! This looks like the mill.from deer hunter.. Huge steel mills over here.. 12 miles of lakeshore here in northwest iNdiana
It was. The Duquesne Works. I was there when they filmed it.
Pretty cool video wish he shot ET...I currently work at the Clairton Coke Works and it's an amazing place...a city to itself, with modern pollution controls and everyday I am proud to be part of the Mon Valley history of steelmaking. People don't give us credit for what we do...these mills are the town. Without them the town's wouldn't exist. USS is hard, rewarding work... it's a great place to be
Hi John - I'm very glad to hear that you're enjoying work at Clairton. You may know this but Clairton Works began as a fully integrated mill but steelmaking there ended in the 1960s. I think a few of the original buildings remain but not sure. I noticed your comment about ET - please see Part 2 of my old Mon Valley video. I think it starts with ET. ua-cam.com/video/_XJHaS9tH0U/v-deo.html
@@djardini yes I have seen old pictures of open hearths, beehive non byproduct ovens , and the lone blast furnace and blower building... the round structures on blast furnaces that you correctly called heaters are known as the stoves, the only remaining building of the integrated period are all the rolling mill buildings all repurposed
My left ear really enjoyed this history lesson
Irvin works is still going strong to this day. Great video series. As someone who loves learning about industrial history, I found them fascinating.
Much of your Uncle Jim's video brings back memories of a trip I took south of Pittsburgh through the Mon Valley back in 1996. By the time I drove through this area, much of what's seen in this three part video was demolished. Particularly the USS Homestead Works which at the time of my visit only retained the smoke stacks from the soaking pits and the Carrie (blast) Furnaces across the river. Glad he took the time to document by video and provide narration of the history of these steel making facilities near Pittsburgh that to a large extent are now long gone. Thanks for sharing too!
Thanks for sharing this video, very interesting.
Instead of all the money wasted on murderous Iraq Wars these plants should have been refitted to produce something for the 21st century back in 1988 what a heartbreaking video
Irvin Works is still there, and apparently spending a lot of money investing in new machinery.