The photo club went on a Shoot Out in Bethlehem PA. this month. During the industrial revolution in our country's history, Bethlehem was one of the major steel producing cities. The mill was shut down several decades ago. I know many of you will look at it and think, "Wow, I'm glad that's not polluting the environment anymore!" Yes, it was not the most environmentally safe place to work, or the safest for the steelworkers either, but when the plant was shut down, it threw the entire region into an economic tailspin.
Today other health related industries are moving in and the area is starting to see recovery- but it has been a long time coming for those families who were able to tough it out for the last 5-6 decades. One of the warehouses attached to this mill has been refurbished and renovated to house a casino. But the mill was made into an historic site and now you can walk alongside the massive (and I mean MASSIVE) smoke stacks, ovens, catwalks and towers on an elevated walkway.
We were there as the sun was setting and the holiday lighting was coming on. I can't impress how enormous this structure is. The pictures just don't do it justice.
I am still filling in missed dates from December. One more day and I should be all caught up- woo-hoo! Please do not feel obligated to comment on any of these fill-in shots!
The lighting is great and for some reason I love old industrial structures. Thanks for the background info. My brother went to Lehigh University in Bethlehem, but I was 10 went he went to college, so I remember very little about the town.
Thank you Diana, Hannah, Joy, Katy, Kathy, Diane, Sw, and Nina!
@eudora It really has such a contrasting history- it's roots are with the Moravians, but the steel industry took over for many years. Now it's a whole new climate with the pharmaceutical and medical companies moving in.
December 29th, 2022
Leave a Comment
Sign up for a free account or Sign in to post a comment.
Thank you Diana, Hannah, Joy, Katy, Kathy, Diane, Sw, and Nina!
@eudora It really has such a contrasting history- it's roots are with the Moravians, but the steel industry took over for many years. Now it's a whole new climate with the pharmaceutical and medical companies moving in.