A Seven-County Wide Pennsylvania Heritage Area

Rivers of Steel

Points of View...

Technological Determinist

■ “A tale of gradual human progress (improvement)”

■ “The Big Steel Journey to visit the famous mill towns of Homestead, Duquesne, Braddock and Pittsburgh that were the backbone of Andrew Carnegie's steel empire.”

■ “Travel into the Mountains of Fire to the town of Connellsville and along the Youghiogheny River.  This region sits atop one of the most valuable coal seams in America, the Pittsburgh Seam, and the journey tells the story of this coal and coke capital.”

■ “Enter Brownsville and the Upper Mon Valley to experience the Fueling a Revolution. Here you'll discover how this critical transportation hub for the coal industry developed to satisfy the appetite of the giant steel mills for fuel.”

■ “In New Kensington, Tarentum and Kittanning enjoy a celebration of cultural and industrial diversity when you visit sites of other steel related industries - aluminum, glass - during your journey through the Mosaic of Industry.”

Materialist

■ “A tale of group struggle for material resources”

■ “Travel westward along the Ohio River to the towns of Ambridge and Aliquippa to hear the Thunder of Protest, a story of the labor movement in the steel industry during the 1930s when labor unions struggled to win higher wages, an eight hour work day and better working conditions.”

■ “Visit the site of one of American Labor's bloodiest battles and learn about the events leading to the 1892 Homestead Strike and Lockout... The Battle of Homestead signaled the end of union activity in the steel industry until the 1930s.”