I worked there nearly 40 years ago. This plant, begun in 1857, was well past its use-by date and hence doomed. Could not compete with foreign steel and Nucor. Pension plan was grossly underfunded, and retirees greatly exceeded workers. BS made the steel for the world wars and New York skyscrapers. The world then moved on, but BS did not. 3 best plants sold to Mittal, the rest, including this one, abandoned, not even cut up for scrap.
A great thanks to the worthless idiots in congress for destorying the American economy. If industry still existed here there would be no need for healthcare reform. Low paying mall and casino jobs do not cover healthcare benefits. Congress cannot be trusted to vote for anything meaningful to the U.S. people when they are being bought and paid for by the foreign governments.
The US totally disappeared from the industrial roadmap: When I was lad, american built products from cars to machine tools to aeroplanes have been THE top choice. Reasons for this decline:
1. Short term profit thinking in a shareholder spirit.
2. Lack of solid educational system.
3. Reluctance to switch to metric units.
Persons like Madoff and Wagoner symbolize this thinking.
I am 19 and proud to say a 3rd generation steel worker in the arcelor mittal plant in east chicago.. i am saddened that a casino will take the place of those blast furnaces one day.. they represent all the hardwork by all that has been done by its past workers.. all the hardships families have endured.. this was not just a part of the employees life but it was their life tearing this down is just like slapping them in the face
Yeah ok, actually back with Beth Steel was going down, I was involved in a protest against a local hotel developer using non-union Nucor steel in a project. Now, Nucor is whining about using only "American" steel for use in the stimulus package.
Thanx for the vid.. Its nice to see a piece of history before they make a casino there.. my father retired from the steel company... I dont live in bethlehem anymore i was born and raised there though...
wow so a baseball stadium,a casino,and a lot of tourists....i just hope they keep the blast furnaces,its one of the boldest things in our valley and its a important landmark to all lehigh natives
Many of my relatives worked there too. Not sure if you heard even they get to die poor pensions erased and or downsized.. anyway they are still after nearly 20 years building that musem.. LOL
And now its going to be a casino. Nothing like crime, corruption, and gambling to celebrate the death of American industry. And dont forget to take a walk on the new greenway to celebrate the death of the Reading railroad. Those B*st*rds.
The decline of steel began in the 1950s, equipment was not upgraded while countries destroyed during the war retooled. I left the LV in 1994. At the time Atown was actually considering building a truck museum on the site of A&B. Now, that would have been a fantastic travel destination! Not! Bethlehem is also all about tourism. Well, see if you can eat a gambling chip or a Bethlehem star.
Plus? It's too fricken close to Atlantic City! It's insane. I mean, cmon. Are you gonna go to Bethlehem, or the AC? Jersey Shore? or Lehigh River.
Actually - the Discovery Center is really cool! It's got arts programs and dance schools and stuff. So, it's not bananas anymore, but a good use of the industrial space (considering).
nice you should have gone up to cemetery on the hill off of 4th street.The Black 23 story building off of Rt.378 that was the corprate office.you are right about people turning over in there craves.
I remember the corporate office off of 378. I still lived in the LV when the so called "massacre" occurred, when all the white collar folks got canned. Many of my relatives worked in the plant.
I worked there nearly 40 years ago. This plant, begun in 1857, was well past its use-by date and hence doomed. Could not compete with foreign steel and Nucor. Pension plan was grossly underfunded, and retirees greatly exceeded workers. BS made the steel for the world wars and New York skyscrapers. The world then moved on, but BS did not. 3 best plants sold to Mittal, the rest, including this one, abandoned, not even cut up for scrap.
alnot01 1 year ago
@alnot01 Thanks for posting, yes the industry started going down in the 50s.
akeffo 1 year ago
A great thanks to the worthless idiots in congress for destorying the American economy. If industry still existed here there would be no need for healthcare reform. Low paying mall and casino jobs do not cover healthcare benefits. Congress cannot be trusted to vote for anything meaningful to the U.S. people when they are being bought and paid for by the foreign governments.
westonsz 1 year ago
The US totally disappeared from the industrial roadmap: When I was lad, american built products from cars to machine tools to aeroplanes have been THE top choice. Reasons for this decline:
1. Short term profit thinking in a shareholder spirit.
2. Lack of solid educational system.
3. Reluctance to switch to metric units.
Persons like Madoff and Wagoner symbolize this thinking.
N9155E 2 years ago
I am 19 and proud to say a 3rd generation steel worker in the arcelor mittal plant in east chicago.. i am saddened that a casino will take the place of those blast furnaces one day.. they represent all the hardwork by all that has been done by its past workers.. all the hardships families have endured.. this was not just a part of the employees life but it was their life tearing this down is just like slapping them in the face
v8stanguy04 3 years ago
Thank you for posting. Many of my family members worked there. When manufacturing died in the Lehigh Valley, the area tanked.
akeffo 3 years ago
Pack it up and take it to China? You have been misinformed! Pack it up and take it to Minimills! Research your comments before you speak.
red5678 3 years ago
Yeah ok, actually back with Beth Steel was going down, I was involved in a protest against a local hotel developer using non-union Nucor steel in a project. Now, Nucor is whining about using only "American" steel for use in the stimulus package.
akeffo 3 years ago
Thanx for the vid.. Its nice to see a piece of history before they make a casino there.. my father retired from the steel company... I dont live in bethlehem anymore i was born and raised there though...
JenPa39 3 years ago
wow so a baseball stadium,a casino,and a lot of tourists....i just hope they keep the blast furnaces,its one of the boldest things in our valley and its a important landmark to all lehigh natives
cruzmaq 3 years ago
TRANSFORMERS 2 IS BEING FILMED HERE!
ChuChupwn3d567 3 years ago
It's gonna suck so bad when those damn casinos come, my friend is gonna move to oregon all cause of the damn casino!!
csculley27 3 years ago
my dad worked in the steel and my grandmother worked in the building with the steel logo...
Yeah. dumb casino's
csculley27 3 years ago
Many of my relatives worked there too. Not sure if you heard even they get to die poor pensions erased and or downsized.. anyway they are still after nearly 20 years building that musem.. LOL
dseibert710 4 years ago
And now its going to be a casino. Nothing like crime, corruption, and gambling to celebrate the death of American industry. And dont forget to take a walk on the new greenway to celebrate the death of the Reading railroad. Those B*st*rds.
boxpok 4 years ago
The decline of steel began in the 1950s, equipment was not upgraded while countries destroyed during the war retooled. I left the LV in 1994. At the time Atown was actually considering building a truck museum on the site of A&B. Now, that would have been a fantastic travel destination! Not! Bethlehem is also all about tourism. Well, see if you can eat a gambling chip or a Bethlehem star.
akeffo 4 years ago
Plus? It's too fricken close to Atlantic City! It's insane. I mean, cmon. Are you gonna go to Bethlehem, or the AC? Jersey Shore? or Lehigh River.
Actually - the Discovery Center is really cool! It's got arts programs and dance schools and stuff. So, it's not bananas anymore, but a good use of the industrial space (considering).
hoofer1 4 years ago
nice you should have gone up to cemetery on the hill off of 4th street.The Black 23 story building off of Rt.378 that was the corprate office.you are right about people turning over in there craves.
easternpa 4 years ago
I remember the corporate office off of 378. I still lived in the LV when the so called "massacre" occurred, when all the white collar folks got canned. Many of my relatives worked in the plant.
akeffo 4 years ago