Rivers of Steel Receives a Save America’s Treasures Grant
from the National Park Service
Grant funds critical restoration of the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark
Homestead, PA (September 23, 2021)—Rivers of Steel has received a $358,667 Save America’s Treasures grant from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior, for the restoration of key structures at the Carrie Blast Furnaces.
Rivers of Steel will use the funds to continue the restoration and stabilization of three critical sections of the furnace site: the #6 Cast House where iron was tapped, the stove / purification decks which generated heat for the site and processed furnace gases, and the water flume, a slag byproduct transportation trough.
The funds will help to ensure that Carrie remains open to the public and that integral portions of the contributing structure of the site are not damaged beyond the point of repair and mitigation. The #6 Cast House and the stove decks are currently accessed by the public on industrial tours, while the water flume area is restricted for safety.
“We are so grateful for the support from our partners at the National Park Service for this grant that will help continue our work of stabilization and restoration of the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark,” said Augie Carlino, president and chief executive officer of Rivers of Steel. “The Save America’s Treasures program is highly competitive, and it is an honor to have Carrie selected as one of the NPS’s critical investments in our nation’s history.”
“We are also thankful to Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Mike Doyle for their continued leadership and support of our work at Carrie and throughout the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area,” Carlino continued.
“The Carrie Furnaces National Historic Landmark has immense cultural and historical value, highlighting Southwestern Pennsylvania’s role as the steelmaking capital of the world in the twentieth century,” said Senator Casey. “As the centerpiece of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, Rivers of Steel has worked tirelessly in recent years to stabilize and restore Carrie Furnaces #6 and #7. The Save America’s Treasures grant will accelerate their efforts to preserve these structures for future generations, ensuring the contribution of Carrie Furnaces to the historic legacy of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s industrial heritage.”
“I was pleased to support Rivers of Steel’s application for this Save America’s Treasures grant,” Congressman Doyle said today. “Steel workers and the steel industry have had a major impact on Pittsburgh’s culture and economy, and it’s essential in my opinion to preserve these important artifacts so future generations remember and appreciate our region’s heritage.”
Save America’s Treasures is a program of the NPS, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
The grant to Rivers of Steel is just one of 49 projects in 29 states supported by this year’s Save America’s Treasures grants, totaling $15.5 million. In Pennsylvania, the Carpenters’ Company of the City and County of Philadelphia also received funds for the Carpenters’ Hall Preservation Project.
“From the Rose Bowl Stadium in California to Lucy the Elephant in New Jersey, the Save America’s Treasures program seeks to preserve and rehabilitate some of the most significant and iconic American structures and collections. Together with our partners, these grants help enable museums, states, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofits to fulfill their preservation work for future generations to experience, learn from, and enjoy,” said NPS Deputy Director Shawn Benge.
About Rivers of Steel
Founded on the principles of heritage development, community partnership, and a reverence for the region’s natural and shared resources, Rivers of Steel strengthens the economic and cultural fabric of western Pennsylvania by fostering dynamic initiatives and transformative experiences.
Rivers of Steel showcases the artistry and innovation of our region’s industrial and cultural heritage through its historical and 21st-century attractions―offering unique experiences via tours, workshops, exhibitions, festivals, and more. Behind the scenes, Rivers of Steel supports economic revitalization—working at the grassroots level to deepen community partnerships, promote heritage tourism, and preserve local recreational and cultural resources for future generations.
About the Carrie Blast Furnaces
Once part of legendary U.S. Steel Homestead Steel Works, the Carrie Blast Furnaces are a vestige of Pittsburgh’s 20th-century domination of the steel industry. In 2006, Blast Furnaces #6 & #7 were declared a National Historic Landmark. Today, visitors to the site can connect with the region’s industrial and cultural past through a myriad of public tours and programs offered by Rivers of Steel.
Contact Carly McCoy at 412.464.4020, ext. 243 or by emailing cmccoy@riversofsteel.com.
Rivers of Steel | The Bost Building, 623 East Eighth Ave, Homestead PA 15120
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