Saturday, June 3, 2023
The Carrie Blast Furnaces produced iron for U.S. Steel's Homestead Works for the greater part of their existence. Photo by Bill McAdams.
What's in a Word?

Today's rumination is on the term "ironbound." The dictionary definition offers up an array of terms from harsh and inflexible to rugged, unyielding, and rigorous, as if bound by iron.

The connotations are almost uniformly negative, but what if they were not? What if "ironbound" was sturdy, steadfast, or resolute? How about determined?

Around here, we have a certain affinity for iron, understandably. And though we may not be able to change the English language on a whim, let's pretend for a moment . . .

From the World War Two era through the collapse of Big Steel, 90 percent of the unskilled workers at the Carrie Furnaces were Black. Ironworkers were tough, and those who manned the furnaces encountered the harshest conditions, but they had a job to do, and their ironbound spirit endured. Learn about The Black Experience at the Carrie Furnaces during a special tour on Sundays in June.

Now what if we took "ironbound" a step further? What if the word was understood in the same context as "westbound" or "college bound?" If iron was a destination, where would you be going? Well, to metal arts workshops at the Carrie Furnaces, of course!

Artists, creatives, and metalworkers—locally and from across the nation—are ironbound, headed to the Carrie Blast Furnaces for the three-day Intro to Iron Casting and the weeklong Large-Mold Iron Intensive workshops. You can be ironbound too when you attend the Iron Casting Spectator Event.

While we're having fun with words, how about making yourself Doodle-bound? or Graffiti-bound? If you're Machine Shop-bound, then you may be headed to Greene County for a Guided Tour or to Rivers of Steel's very first Blacksmithing workshop there.

Oh, if you are tour-bound, then you can use Table Magazine's list from its How to Pittsburgh series that offers up eight Pittsburgh tours to Expand Your Local Knowledge. (Can you guess what two of those tours are?)

Thanks for playing along today. Now, get out there—it's time to be fun-bound!
The Steelworker mural helps tell the story of Black workers at Carrie.
FEATURED TOUR
The Black Experience at the Carrie Furnaces
Sundays in June at the Carrie Blast Furnaces
Join Rivers of Steel this June for a special tour of the Carrie Blast Furnaces. This one-hour tour sifts through the history of the Carrie Furnaces through the lens of a pivotal resource—the Black migrants who traveled from the South and created a career path for themselves and future generations, amassing seniority and skills in some of the most difficult roles at the mill. Through the stories of changemakers like Cumberland "Cap" Posey and everyday workers like union officer John Hughey, this tour paints a picture of life inside—and outside—the mill in the 20th century.
Workshop participants work on their sand molds.
METAL ARTS WORKSHOP
Intro to Iron Casting
June 22 – 24, 2023, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Carrie Blast Furnaces
Work with experienced Rivers of Steel teaching artists and visiting artists to learn the basics of foundry work, including pattern and mold-making. It’s a step-by-step overview of the iron-casting process!
METAL ARTS WORKSHOP
Large-Mold Iron Intensive
June 19 – 24, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Carrie Blast Furnaces
Level up your iron work! This workshop features extended shop time onsite at the Carrie Blast Furnaces and in-depth instruction / assistance catered to the needs of each individual. Participants will have the chance to learn and experiment with multiple pattern-making materials and create a large and/or complex multi-part sand mold.
SPECIAL EVENT
Iron Casting Spectator Event
Saturday, June 24, 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., Carrie Blast Furnaces
Experience molten iron at the Carrie Blast Furnaces! Bring some friends to the Carrie Blast Furnaces and watch our metal arts crew, along with a team of volunteers and workshop participants, fire up the cupola furnace and melt some iron. Witness a scaled down version of what took place onsite during its peak industrial era.
METAL ARTS WORKSHOP
The Doodle Bowl Experience
Sunday, June 11, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., Carrie Blast Furnaces
Not your typical “sip and paint” party, this workshop has quickly become one of Rivers of Steel’s most in-demand programs. With guidance from Rivers of Steel’s metal arts team, you’ll design and carve a bowl that is cast in solid aluminum. Take home your new, functional work of art at the end of the night. No experience is needed—just bring your creativity, a friend, and your own beverage.
TOUR + WORKSHOP
Graffiti & Style-Writing Workshop
Sunday, June 11, 1:00 – 3:30 p.m., Carrie Blast Furnaces
Join Rivers of Steel master urban artist Shane Pilster on a tour of the international collection of graffiti murals located at the Carrie Blast Furnaces. Learn about the individual works of art and the overall history and culture of graffiti. After your tour, you’ll have a chance to try it for yourself! The hands-on experience will teach you the basics of aerosol painting and style-writing techniques. Then take home your completed paintings at the end of the workshop.
HERITAGE TOUR
Guided Machine Shop Tours
Sundays, W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop
Step back in time to the early 1900s and discover the artistry of handcrafted manufacturing! Tour the blacksmith shop, pattern shop, hardware store, and foundry. Marvel during a live demonstration of W.A. Young’s amazing line shaft driven technology—a feature that makes this machine shop truly one of a kind. 
METAL ARTS WORKSHOP
Blacksmithing at the Machine Shop: Hooks & Hairpins
Sunday, June 4, 12:00 – 3:00 p.m., W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop
Learn to hammer hot metal at the Machine Shop! This three-hour introductory workshop is a great way to explore the art of blacksmithing and create something unique. Participants will learn the basics of forging steel and use essential blacksmithing tools to create a steel hook or hairpin to take home.
THINGS TO DO IN THE RIVERS OF STEEL NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
How to Pittsburgh
While we enjoy sharing things to do in the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area, we know we're not the only source for good, short lists of things to do. Lately, we are enjoying Table Magazine's How to Pittsburgh guide.
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