Rivers of Steel Receives a RACP Grant
from the Commonwealth of Pennyslvania
Grant funds restoration of the Carrie Blast Furnaces and the Historic Pump House
Homestead, PA (December 13, 2021)—Rivers of Steel has received a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) for the restoration and stabilization of the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Rankin and Swissvale and similar improvements at the historic Pump House in Munhall.
The funds are added to other grants awarded earlier in 2021, including Save America’s Treasures. The combined use of these and additional funds will enable the continuation of restoration and renovation at the Carrie Furnaces and the Pump House. The sites are cornerstone attractions in the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area. Carrie Furnaces NHL is also an iconic symbol of Pittsburgh’s industrial heritage. It will be the centerpiece of a redevelopment project in partnership with Allegheny County and the Regional Industrial Development Corporation.
“We are so grateful to Senator Jay Costa and Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald for their strong support of our RACP application. This grant will help continue our work of stabilizing and restoring these historic landmarks. That work will also further advance our programs and projects in heritage tourism and creative placemaking efforts by making the sites more accessible to tourists,” said Augie Carlino, president and chief executive officer of Rivers of Steel.
Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current employment levels, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity. The Office of the Budget administers the RACP grant program to acquire and construct regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
“We are also thankful to Governor Wolf for his approval of the RACP grant,” Carlino continued.
Save America’s Treasures support comes from the Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service (NPS), Department of the Interior; it 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.
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.
About the Pump House
The Pump House dates back to 1892 when it was built by the Carnegie Steel Company. That same year it was the site of the Battle of Homestead, a defining moment in the nation’s labor history. Today, the building and its adjacent water tower help to interpret the nationally significant events of 1892 and highlight the illustrious steel-making legacy of the region.
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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