Secretary of the Interior NHL Designations: Carrie Blast Furnaces in Pennsylvania
On December 16, 2024, the Secretary of the Interior announced the designation of 19 new National Historic Landmarks and the approval of 14 nomination updates. Get to know these new and updated NHLs by visiting the StoryMap and exploring the list below.
Pennsylvania
Carrie Blast Furnaces Number 6 and 7 (Updated Documentation and Boundary Change)
Swissvale, Rankin, Munhall, and Whitaker Boroughs, Allegheny County, PA
Name of Property: Carrie Blast Furnaces Number 6 and 7 (Updated Documentation)
City, State: Swissvale, Rankin, Munhall and Whitaker Boroughs, Pennsylvania
Period of Significance: 1906-1941
NHL Criteria: 1 and 4
NHL Themes:
V. Developing the American Economy (1. Extraction and Production)
VI. Expanding Science and Technology (2. Technological Application)
VIII. Changing Role of the United States in the World Community (2.
Commerce)
Previous Recognition: National Historic Landmark (September 20, 2006)
NHL Significance:
The Carrie Blast Furnaces Number 6 and 7 NHL district is significant under Criterion 4 (Engineering) for its exceptional ability to illustrate the dominant technological concepts of American ironmaking at an integrated steel works during the first half of the twentieth century.
In particular, the furnaces are significant examples of what was variously referred to as “Northern” or “Mesabi” practice—a technological style of iron smelting based upon the peculiar qualities of the fine Mesabi ores of Minnesota—within the context of northern integrated steel production.
Additionally, the property is significant under NHL Criterion 1 (Events and Broad Patterns) for its ability to clearly illustrate nationally important aspects of American industrial production.
In particular, advances in ironmaking technologies that are reflected at Carrie Furnaces 6 and 7 were critical to the development of mass-production in the American steel industry that made Pittsburgh the leading iron- and steel-manufacturing district in the world and made United States Steel the largest steel company in the world.
The beginning date for the period of significance (1906) is the year construction began on Furnaces 6 and 7 (they were completed the following year). The end date (1941) marks America’s entry into World War II, which ended the period of dominant technological advances in iron production associated with these two furnaces.
Article and Photo Credit: National Park Service