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Coal, slate, cement and iron are the elements found here that helped build America. At Bethlehem Steel, the makings of ships, bridges and skyscrapers, helped build a nation.
Of all the products and businesses born out of the coal-canal connection, none were as significant as iron and a Bethlehem-based industrial titan known locally as “The Steel.” Here’s a short list of Bethlehem Steel highlights:
1727: First iron furnace opens, on Durham Creek near the Bucks-Northampton County line about 1.5 miles inland from the Delaware River. The furnace produced shot and shells for Colonial and British forces in the French and Indian Wars. Later, it made cannons and ammunition for the Continental Army in the American Revolution. During both conflicts, the furnace was managed by George Taylor, who signed the Declaration of Independence and was a prominent patriot leader.
1840: First successful anthracite-fueled blast furnace in the U.S., created by Welsh ironmaster David Thomas.
1850: After more and more entrepreneurs built anthracite-fueled blast furnaces in the region, the Lehigh Valley became America’s leading iron producing region, a title it held until 1880. Keys to success included the readily available supply of iron ore, limestone, and coal, plus the canal system that provided easy access to Philadelphia and New York City markets.
1857: Saucona Iron Co. opened in Bethlehem to supply pig iron for wrought-iron rails for railroads. The company name changed to Bethlehem Iron Co. in 1860. The first rails were produced in 1863.
1873: Bethlehem Iron was the only Lehigh Valley iron maker to successfully convert to steel making. By late 1800s, the company was forging heavy generator motors for the nation’s first electric power plants.
1880-90s: Company built the first super-heavy forging facility, launching the American defense industry and eventually producing guns, armor plate, propulsion machinery, and nuclear reactor vessels for American and foreign warships. From the end of the Civil War to the beginning of World War I, Bethlehem Iron was the world’s largest armaments maker.
Early 20th century: Name changed to Bethlehem Steel. The corporation was run by Charles M. Schwab, one of industrialist Andrew Carnegie’s lieutenants. During his years at the helm, the company started making structural steel I and H beams that are lighter but stronger than anything on the market.
WWI: British government placed an order for submarines. The parts were made at the company’s shipyard in Fore River, Massachusetts, then shipped to a Canadian yard for assembly. France, Russia, Great Britain, and China order guns and munitions, as well as naval vessels.
1920-30s: Company continued to grow, weathered the Great Depression, and became a major erector of bridges and buildings, including: George Washington Bridge over the Hudson, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Gateway Arch in St. Louis, and Madison Square Garden.
1925: Bethlehem Steel built USS Lexington, the nation’s first dedicated aircraft carrier.
Pearl Harbor: After the Japanese attack, all phases of Bethlehem Steel shift to war-related production. The shipyards built 1,121 naval and merchant vessels and repair 38,000 ships. The company employed 220,000 workers with peak production realized in 1944.
Late 1950s: Company officials increased production capacity 50 percent to meet strong demand for steel during an anticipated growth era. The boom ended in 1958 when the market started shrinking. The company then faced the longest strike in history (116 days), and the emergence of low-priced foreign steel. Bethlehem Steel continued to upgrade facilities, develop new technology, and diversify.
1990s: Despite best efforts, Bethlehem Steel faded from the industrial scene, closing plants and laying off workers. The Bethlehem facility, once the heart of the mighty industry, closed. Local efforts to preserve key landmarks began.
