BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The City of Bethlehem is set against the SteelStacks, a remnant memory of a bygone era.
- 'Steelwalker’ archive tours are back
- They are led by former steelworkers
- They will be held every weekend until July 29, 2003
Now visitors can journey through time with the return of 'Steelwalker’ archive tours, led by former steelworkers, for the warm-weather season.
The plant was once a symbol of American manufacturing leadership.
“We wouldn't have won World War I and World War II without it," historian Lance Metz told The Washington Post in 2003. At the time, Bethlehem Steel manufactured U.S. warships and other weapons.
It also produced materials used for the Golden Gate Bridge and Empire State Building.
“The people who worked at Bethlehem Steel came here for new opportunities and a better life for their families,” said Joe Mayer, president of the Steelworkers’ Archives.
“It’s important for our community to reflect on this important past, pay tribute to them and reminisce about a way of life that is gone forever.”Joe Mayer, president of the Steelworkers’ Archives
“It’s important for our community to reflect on this important past, pay tribute to them and reminisce about a way of life that is gone forever.”
Tours are an hour long and include a Q&A session. They cover the history of the plant, the buildings that remain at the site, the diverse neighborhoods were workers lived nearby and details about life at the time.
“I’m excited for the Steelwalker tours to be back,” said Mayer.
The tours are held every weekend through July 29, 2023. They start at 11:30 a.m. on the sidewalk outside the National Museum of History on 602 E. Second Street.
Visitors are taken across the Hoover-Mason Trestle, a 1650-foot elevated linear park that lines the edge of this reclaimed industrial site.
The trestle is 46 feet high. Built in 1905, it was originally a gauge rail line used to transport raw materials.
There is free parking available in the lot across the street from the museum. There is a limit of 25 people per tour.
Tickets can be purchased at steelstacks.org, or by calling 610-861-0600. They are $15 each, and free for children under the age of 12.
A free, self-guided tour is also available.