Obviously the Tavern and Drive In weren’t the most exciting part of the day – but they were also unscheduled, though, this was easily my favorite part.

Here’s a bit of history plagiarized for you:

The Blacksmith shop was built in 1864 to supply parts to the company's iron and steel mills. It was one of the nation's largest rail producers. The company boosted the town's population from about 5,150 in the 1850s to around 30,000 in the 1890s. The town is most famous for the flood of 1889, which nearly destroyed the city and killed over 2,000 people. Though a large number of the mill workers died in the flood, the buildings in the Lower Works sustained remarkably little damage. The company changed hands once again in 1923, being sold to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation.

In 1989, the National Park Service declared it a National Historic Landmark. It is one of two sites in the country with the most intact buildings from the nation's early steel industry. Bethlehem Steel continued to operate the Blacksmith shop until 1992, when they shut down all operations.

Bethlehem Steel then began demolishing many of the buildings in the complex. Local agencies banded together to preserve the site, and after lengthy negotiations, Bethlehem transferred ownership of the Iron Works' most historically significant buildings to the city.


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I don't get the Ghost5 themeing.

Nice pictures though.

His Trolley post inspired a regional tour for a first-timer friend

Dude just let me have my 1 minute of tiny internet fame lol. JK but love this place i need to shoot here.

Posted by Ghost5 Dude just let me have my 1 minute of tiny internet fame lol. JK but love this place i need to shoot here.

You weren't expecting the added advertisement, were you

This segment was a little more brash than usual, but was worth it. The spiral stair case was in the HR building next door. Talked to one of the generalist and the HR manager gave us the hairy eyeball. We got lucky with the iron works. Would love to see the carpentry shop - looked in the windows, but had to get to Rockhill before it was dark.

Nice set. Those are some amazing power hammers.