Skip to main content

News & Events

Event Calendar

Carrie Blast Furnace Tour

Saturday, June 26, 2021
11:00 am1:00 pm

It's time for another field trip hosted by WACHS (Western Allegheny Community Historical Society)! This time we're meeting for a private tour of the Carrie Blast Furnace. Declared a National Historic Landmark in 2006, Carrie, as it’s affectionately known, entices visitors to marvel at the scale and legacy of its industrial might. A remnant of the legendary U.S. Steel Homestead Steel Works, the Carrie Blast Furnaces are a vestige of Pittsburgh’s 20th-century domination of the steel industry. During this two-hour guided tour, you’ll hear stories about the site’s technology (including why it is nationally significant) as well as get to know the culture of its workers. You’ll also learn a bit about the iron-making process, from the movement of the raw materials to the tapping of the furnaces that produced fiery molten iron. The Carrie Blast Furnaces are located in Swissvale and Rankin, PA in the Monongahela River Valley.

Visit the links below for directions and further details about the tour, but be sure to register on our website to be part of this special group! We will meet at the site; no transportation will be provided. Attendees will be required to sign a liability waiver and consent to be photographed (link is below).

What to wear: The majority of each tour is outside; please dress for the weather. Additionally, the ground is uneven—sensible shoes are a must. Sneakers or boots are recommended. Open-toed shoes and high heels are prohibited.
Restrooms & concessions: The rawness of the site is certainly part of its charm. However, that rawness also limits the creature comforts many of us are accustomed to, like running water. Portable bathrooms and wash stations are available. Food amenities are generally not available (with some exceptions, such as food trucks at festivals).
Photography: Photography is permitted. For safety reasons, videography and drones are prohibited.
Accessibility: Handicapped parking is available, but the grounds covered during tours are not wheelchair accessible.

Book and notebook
  • Items Borrowed

    172,202

  • Registered Members

    14,425

  • Dollars Raised

    91,526

  • Program Participants

    13,796

© 2024 Western Allegheny Community Library

Powered by Firespring