The Secrets of Carrie Furnace

Location: Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark along the Monongohela River Featured guests: Ron Baraff, Director of Historic Resources and Facilities at Rivers of Steel 3 things that surprised me: 1. Ron's been with Rivers of Steel since the 1990s and he's incredibly knowledgable about this historic site and was eager to explain how the technology at this blast furnace changed the world. The furnace operated from the 1884 to 1982 and during much of that time it operated 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The iron created here was converted to steel across the river where it became the Bay Bridge, the Empire State Building and the locks at the Panama Canal. 2. Ron had us look over the ore yard, which has been filled in since it's ore-holding days. Back then it was 25 feet deeper than it is today and the mountains of ore would have towered above us. Ron pointed out the stains that the ore left on the brick walls. 3. Ron led us into the locker room used by the folks who worked at the "car dumper." The space was grown over but still looked much like it did in the 1920s. Ron pointed out the barrel-vaulted ceilings, toilets, showers and refrigerator that employees used for nearly a hundred years.