Carrie Furnace
Encyclopedia
Carrie Furnace is a derelict former blast furnace
located along the Monongahela River
in the Pittsburgh area industrial town of Rankin, Pennsylvania
. It had formed a part of the Homestead Steel Works
. The Carrie Furnaces were built in 1884 and they operated until 1982. During its peak, the site produced 1000 to 1250 tons of iron per day. All that is left of the site are furnaces #6 and #7, which operated from 1907 - 1978, along with the hot metal bridge.
The site on which it stands may be developed into a historic parklet, the Homestead Works National Park, with Carrie Furnace forming an attraction.
, with 135 acres located on the north bank of the river and 33 acres on the south bank. The site, however, is not readily accessible as it is enclosed by railroad tracks. The surrounding areas include Rankin, Swissvale, Whitaker, and Munhall. After the Park Corporation purchased the site from U.S. Steel
in 1988, both parties agreed to address the environmental concerns. In 2005, Allegheny County purchased the land from Park Corps. for $5.75 million. Underground fuel storage tanks were removed in 1994 along with two above ground fuel storage units. In addition, asbestos
from the buildings was removed. The soil was contaminated with PCBs and sulfate
s. Environmental assessment of the site has been conducted in two phases. The first phase was completed in 2007 and the second is currently underway.
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
located along the Monongahela River
Monongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
in the Pittsburgh area industrial town of Rankin, Pennsylvania
Rankin, Pennsylvania
Rankin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, south of Pittsburgh on the Monongahela River. Early in the 20th century, Rankin specialized in manufacturing steel and wire goods...
. It had formed a part of the Homestead Steel Works
Homestead Steel Works
Homestead Steel Works was a large steel works located on the Monongahela River at Homestead, Pennsylvania in the United States. It developed in the nineteenth century as an extensive plant served by tributary coal and iron fields, a railway long, and a line of lake steamships...
. The Carrie Furnaces were built in 1884 and they operated until 1982. During its peak, the site produced 1000 to 1250 tons of iron per day. All that is left of the site are furnaces #6 and #7, which operated from 1907 - 1978, along with the hot metal bridge.
The site on which it stands may be developed into a historic parklet, the Homestead Works National Park, with Carrie Furnace forming an attraction.
| Location: | Size: | Features: | Owner: | Current Use | Past Use: | Contaminants: | Total Actual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegheny County, PA | 168 Acres | Large Parcel, Flat Land, and Riverfront Location | Allegheny County | Vacant Land | Blast furnace | PCBs, Sulfates | $70-$100 million to convert Carrie Furnace #6 & #7 into a Steel Heritage Museum and Allegheny County has projected that the environmental clean-up would cost between $3-$5 million |
History, Topography, and Environmental Concerns
The table portrays the history of Carrie Furnace. Carrrie Furnace is located along the Monongahela RiverMonongahela River
The Monongahela River is a river on the Allegheny Plateau in north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania in the United States...
, with 135 acres located on the north bank of the river and 33 acres on the south bank. The site, however, is not readily accessible as it is enclosed by railroad tracks. The surrounding areas include Rankin, Swissvale, Whitaker, and Munhall. After the Park Corporation purchased the site from U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
in 1988, both parties agreed to address the environmental concerns. In 2005, Allegheny County purchased the land from Park Corps. for $5.75 million. Underground fuel storage tanks were removed in 1994 along with two above ground fuel storage units. In addition, asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
from the buildings was removed. The soil was contaminated with PCBs and sulfate
Sulfate
In inorganic chemistry, a sulfate is a salt of sulfuric acid.-Chemical properties:...
s. Environmental assessment of the site has been conducted in two phases. The first phase was completed in 2007 and the second is currently underway.
| 1881 | 1892 | 1898 | 1901 | 1978 | 1988 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrie Furnace is built | Homestead Strike Homestead Strike The Homestead Strike was an industrial lockout and strike which began on June 30, 1892, culminating in a battle between strikers and private security agents on July 6, 1892. It was one of the most serious disputes in U.S. labor history... |
Site purchased by Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century... |
Incorporated into U.S. Steel U.S. Steel The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales... |
Shutdown | Sold to Park Corporation | Sold to Allegheny County for $5.75 million | Furnaces 6 and 7 were designated a National Historic Landmark National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance... |