Saturday, October 23, 2021
The restored exterior of the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop. Image by Richard Kelly Photography.
The Historic Preservation of the Machine Shop

As you may know by now, Rivers of Steel is the type of organization that has a lot of tools in its toolbox. In the figurative sense, historic preservation has always been one of Rivers of Steel's most valued tools, and when you talk about the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop, that statement can be interpreted literally—it has so many tools!

Today's lead story brings together the literal and the figurative. After more than a decade of historic preservation work and nearly $1.5 million in investment, Rivers of Steel is excited to announce that the restoration of the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop is now completed! Read about the journey here.

One of the hightlights each year at the Machine Shop is the Hammer-In Festival. While the event was shuttered in 2020, this year we created a virtual version of it to share with you all. Watch the video recap of it here and save the date for 2022!

In other Machine Shop news, we've extended the tour season for another few weeks! Join us for tours here or at the Carrie Blast Furnaces through November 21. Also coming up in the next few weeks is our first Curator-Led Gallery Talk of Memory Scenes: A Kathleen Ferri Retrospective with Barbara Jones, the Talking Trails online conversation with Amy Camp and other trail advocates, the second installment of Homestead Live Fridays, and more.

We'd also like to share some good news: Senator Bob Casey just advanced a $30.4 million spending bill for southwestern Pennsylvania projects, including $500,000 for the continuing restoration work at the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark! Learn more here.

Thanks for reading! We hope to see you at one of our sites, online, or in the community!
FEATURED STORY
A Decade-Long Journey for a 120-Year-Old Building
After ten years of work, the W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop has been restored using historic preservation best practices.
FEATURED VIDEO
2021 Virtual Hammer-In
For more than 30 years now, on the third Saturday in April, the historic W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop has been the host of the annual Hammer-In Festival, organized by the Pittsburgh Area Artists Blacksmiths Association and the Appalachian Blacksmiths Association, in partnership with Rivers of Steel.

While the 2020 event was canceled during the pandemic shutdown, in 2021 the festival returned in a more limited fashion. Three blacksmiths demonstrated their craft—for the cameras and a limited audience. This video includes those demonstrations, along with some thoughts about the events and the National Historic Landmark from a few of the behind-the-scenes guests.
FEATURED PRORAM
Curator-Led Gallery Talk with Barbara Jones
November 6, 2021, 12:00 to 12:30 p.m., Bost Building, Homestead
Appreciate the artwork of Kathleen Ferri with insights shared from one of the exhibition’s curators. Join Barbara L. Jones, chief curator at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, on November 6 as she offers a curatorial perspective of the exhibition Memory Scenes: A Kathleen Ferri Retrospective.
Amy Camp, author of Deciding on Trails: 7 Practices of Healthy Trail Towns
ONLINE PROGRAM
Talking Trails: A Book Talk and Community Conversation
Thursday, October 28, 6:00 – 7:15 p.m.
Join Rivers of Steel, author Amy Camp, and a panel of trail and community advocates for a conversation about how communities can connect to and benefit from trails.
COMMUNITY EVENT
Homestead Live Fridays
November 5 & 19, 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Presented by Rivers of Steel and the Steel Valley Enterprise Zone, and located in multiple venues throughout Homestead’s Eighth Avenue business district, Homestead Live Fridays features local performers each evening from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. Grab a drink or bite to eat and check out some of the region’s best, live local music!
METAL ARTS PROGRAM
Aluminum Casting Session
Monday, November 8, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Take advantage of your last chance of the season to try aluminum casting for yourself! Take a class with a friend—create a special gift for the holiday season or unique piece of art for yourself. Join us to explore the metal casting process and learn how to make a unique pattern from everyday materials!
DRIVE-IN MOVIES
Classic Horror Films—Carrie Carpool Cinema
October 29 & 30, 2021
Join us for screenings of Bride of Frankenstein and The Thing during the last two Carrie Carpool Cinema events of the season.
IN THE NEWS
Casey Advances Spending Bill for Southwestern PA Projects
Rivers of Steel is grateful for Senator Bob Casey's continued support of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, the Carrie Blast Furnaces project, and other initiatives throughout the region. The $500,000 in proposed funding for the restoration of the Carrie Furnaces would be a significant step in assuring this National Historic Landmark remains accessible for our local communities and to the visitors who seek to experience our region's heritage in a dynamic way.
Help preserve our region’s industrial and cultural heritage! Your tax-deductible contribution will help ensure that Rivers of Steel can continue to offer vital, engaging, community-based arts, education, and heritage programs for the residents of southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond.