bethlehem steel walking tour

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Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel Tour

Sunday, november 5th, 2023 at 1:00 pm - sunday, november 5th, 2023 at 2:30 pm.

Bethlehem Steel, once the 2nd largest steel producer in the country, helped build some of America's greatest landmarks.

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Sunday, November 5th, 2023 at 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Event overview.

Leave from outside of the ArtsQuest Visitor Center 711 First Street, Bethlehem, PA 18020

Guests should meet the tour guide at the ArtsQuest Visitor Center at 10:30 a.m. If the building is closed, the guide will meet outside of the building.

Bethlehem Steel, once the 2nd largest steel producer in the country, helped build some of America’s greatest landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Chrysler Building. Discover the humble beginnings, monumental growth, and humbling decline of this 20th-century giant.

The 90-minute walking tour features up-close views of the former steel plant and an in-depth look at the steel-making process and the roles the workers played in our country’s history.

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Steelworkers’ Archive Tours are Back at the Former Bethlehem Steel Plant

Take an educational walk-through time with a former steelworker and learn what life was like during the height of this 20 th century giant

Bethlehem, PA, April 14, 2023 – The “Steelwalker’ tours are back! Come take a multi-faceted journey led by former steelworkers on a sidewalk and Hoover-Mason Trestle tour through the former Bethlehem Steel plant site. Tours are available every Saturday and Sunday, from now to July 29, 2023. Tickets are priced at $15 per person (free for children ages 12 and under).

Discover the history and importance of this 20 th century giant including the evolution of iron making in the Lehigh Valley. Guests will learn about the rich history of the Bethlehem Plant from its opening to closing, including its importance during World Wars I & II. Steel produced by Bethlehem Steel was used in the construction of some of America’s greatest landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Chrysler Building.

“I’m excited for the Steelwalker tours to be back,” commented Joe Mayer, President of the Steelworkers’ Archives. “The people who worked at Bethlehem Steel came here for new opportunities and a better life for their families. It’s important for our community to reflect on this important past, pay tribute to them and reminisce about a way of life that is gone forever.”  

Along the way, guests will also gain a better understanding about the remaining buildings on the site, the ethnic neighborhoods surrounding the plant and what life was like working there. The 1+ hour tour will conclude with a Q&A session.

“Steelwalker” tours will start at 11:30 a.m., rain or shine, and will depart from the plaza outside the National Museum of History (NMIH), 602 E. Second Street, Bethlehem. Free parking is available for guests in the lot across the street from the museum. Please note, there is a limit of 25 people per tour.

Purchase tickets at steelstacks.org . For more information and inquiries about a private group tour, contact the Steelworkers’ Archives at 610-861-0600.  

About ArtsQuest ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events.

Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the Banana Factory Arts Center; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, over 50 percent of which are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region. 

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'Steeples and Steel,' Walking Tours Exploring Bethlehem Steel History to Return Sept. 2 | WDIY Local News

A series of tours exploring the history of Bethlehem Steel and its workers will be returning this weekend.

The Steelworkers’ Archives, National Museum of Industrial History, and Northampton County are partnering for the eighth year of the “Steeples and Steel Tours.”

According to the archives’ website, these minibus tours pay tribute to Central and Eastern European immigrants who resettled in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Many immigrants moved to Bethlehem, becoming steelworkers at Bethlehem Steel, and constructing their respective ethnic churches which still stand today.

The first hour of the tour will visit neighborhoods, cemeteries and churches in South Bethlehem and tell the story of their historical working-class communities.

The second hour will include a steelworker-guided tour of the Bethlehem Steel plant and the Hoover-Mason Trestle walkway. One church or cemetery is entered on each tour.

Tours will depart from NMIH at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sept. 2 and Sept. 16, as well as on Nov. 4.

The 2023 tour schedule includes:

• Sept. 2 – 9:30 AM – Fritz United Methodist Church
• Sept. 2 – 1:00 PM – Packer Memorial Church
• Sept. 16 – 9:30 AM – Holy Infancy Roman Catholic Church
• Sept. 16 – 1:00 PM – Cathedral Church of the Nativity
• Nov. 4 – 9:30 AM – St. John AME Zion Church
• Nov. 4 – 1:00 PM – TBA

Reservations are required, and can be made here . and tickets cost $30 per person. Lunch is included.

Additionally, the Steelworkers’ Archives “steelwalker” tours will also be returning this weekend.

These steelworker-guided walking tours will explore the evolution of iron-making in the Lehigh Valley and the history of the Bethlehem Steel plant from its opening to closing.

They will also cover the plant’s importance during World War I and World War II, and teach visitors about the remaining Bethlehem Steel buildings, life in the ethnic neighborhoods surrounding the plant, and the life of workers at the facility.

The tours leave from the plaza outside of NMIH and will take place at 11:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 17.

Tickets are $15 per person and free for children aged 12 and under. They can be purchased on the SteelStacks website .

The Steelworkers' Archives was formed in 2001 to create a permanent community center in Bethlehem's SouthSide and preserve the history, heritage, and cultures of steelworkers.

The organization also collects artifacts and memorabilia, and documents the lives and genealogical records of those who worked at Bethlehem Steel.

(Original air-date: 8/29/23)

The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel - Walking Tour

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The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel - Walking Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

2021 – Bethlehem Steel History Tour

Bethlehem Steel History Tour

Saturday, october 16 at 10:00 am, cost: $15.00.

*Regular ticket price is $20.00. AIA Registration reduces price by $5.00.

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Hoover-mason trestle @ steelstacks.

This Trestle was recently opened to provide an up-close guided or self guided walking tours of the history of iron-making at Bethlehem Steel’s former blast furnaces located at a facility that employed over 30,000 employees in the mid 20th Century.

101 Founders Way Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015 United States

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Admission, Hours, and Directions

Thank you for your interest in visiting the National Museum of Industrial History, a Smithsonian Affiliate . We aim to make your experience as enjoyable as possible. If you don’t find the information you are looking for on this page feel free to reach out to us via email at [email protected] or calling us at 610.694.6644.

Hours: The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm. The museum will be closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Tickets: Tickets are available at the admission desk inside the museum or online here . Children (6 and younger): Free Youth (7 to 17): $10 Students: $10 Veterans/Educators/Seniors (65 and older): $12 Adults (18 to 64): $15

Combo tickets for NMIH & Unspun: Stories of Silk exhibit are available here . With this ticket you will be able to follow the stories of the silk through the Kemerer Museum of Decorative Arts (427 N New Street), the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem (66 W Church Street), and the  National Museum of Industrial History  (602 E 2nd Street).

Special Discount Days: Senior Days: Every first Wednesday of the month, half price tickets for all senior citizens age 65 and older. Student Days: first Thursday of each month will feature half price tickets for students Family Sundays: free admission to all children under 12 years old when accompanied by a paying adult. Adult admission is $15.

Group Discounts: For more information on visiting NMIH with your group, please see our Group Tours page .

Group Guided Tours Group guided tours are available for a $30 docent fee plus individual admission for a group of up to 20 people.  If the group is larger than 20 people, additional docents are $30 per additional 20 visitors. Group guided tours are available ​during or after business hours and must be reserved ahead of time by contacting the Guest Services Manager, Shannon Morris, at 610.694.6644 or  [email protected] . Please see our Group Tours page .

Steelworkers’ Archives Tours

Every Saturday and Sunday from April through December, former steelworkers will lead sidewalk and Hoover-Mason Trestle tours through the Bethlehem Steel plant site. The tours start at 11:30 AM, rain or shine, and leave from the plaza outside the National Museum of History (NMIH), 602 E. Second Street, Bethlehem.  Free parking is available in the lot across the street from the museum.

The steelworker guides will take guests on a multi-faceted journey – from the evolution of iron making in the Lehigh Valley to the history of the Bethlehem Plant from its opening to closing, including its importance in World Wars I and II.  Along the way, guests will learn about the remaining buildings on the plant site, life in the ethnic neighborhoods surrounding the plant, and what life was like working at the plant.  The 1+ hour tour concludes with a question and answer session.

Tickets are $15 per person and free for ages 12 and under. Scheduling is available online only at this time. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the NMIH admission desk.  For more information, contact the Steelworkers’ Archives  at 610-861-0600.

Also, contact the Steelworkers’ Archives if you are interested in a private group tour. All Sales Are Final – no refunds or exchanges.

Self Guided Mobile Tours Enhance your experience with one of our self-guided tours of the museum or SteelStacks campus using your own phone or device. Inquire at our admission desk for details.

• The Changing Landscape of Bethlehem Steel ($5 per person ) Travel back in time on this self-guided walking tour of the historic Bethlehem Steel Plant! Explore the different phases of the plant as Bethlehem Steel grew from a local iron company to become an international steel titan. This mobile tour provides you with a glimpse into the past with never-before-seen images from the museum’s archival collection.
• Express Museum Tour (included with admission)
• In-Depth Museum Tour (included with admission)
• Young Innovator’s Tour (included with admission)
• Foundry Park Tour (included with admission)

Address: 602 E 2nd St Bethlehem, PA 18015

Parking: Please refer to the map below for museum parking.

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Bethlehem Visitor Center

Presented by st. luke’s university health network.

711 First St., Bethlehem, PA 18015

Located in the former Bethlehem Steel Stock House (circa 1863), the Bethlehem Visitor Center is the ideal place to begin your exploration of the city. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, it offers interactive displays highlighting the history, culture, recreation and attractions of Bethlehem and the surrounding Lehigh Valley. Our knowledgeable staff can advise you on how to plan your visit, where to stay and what to see. Plus, you may create your itinerary and email it to your cell phone.

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The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel - Walking Tour

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The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel - Walking Tour - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go - Visiting Tips (2024)

Bethlehem Steel Tours Explore the Region’s History

About Bethlehem Steel

Founded in 1857, Bethlehem Steel was once the second-largest steel producer and largest shipbuilder in the United States. Together with the subsidiary company, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Bethlehem Steel was a powerful example of the American industrial manufacturing sector. During World War I and World War II, Bethlehem Steel made armor plate and large-caliber guns for the US military. The company also made the steel sections of the Golden Gate Bridge. Later, in the 1980s and 1990s production decline and the steel plant closed and officially became defunct in 2003. Today the campus of the plant is home to the SteelStacks and the Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino .

Bethlehem Steel Tours

There are two different walking Bethlehem Steel tours offered and each will let you get familiar with the history of Bethlehem and Bethlehem Steel’s place in that history.

Steelwalkers Walking Tours

Steelwalkers Walking Tours will put you in the shoes of a steelworker to experience what an average day working for Bethlehem Steel might be like. You’ll find out about the excitement and danger of the job, learn how the blast furnaces worked and hear some fascinating stories that you won’t hear elsewhere. These Bethlehem Steel tours also include question and answer sessions with an experienced steelworker.

The Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel Walking Tour

On the Rise and Fall of Bethlehem Steel Walking Tour , a trained guide will make you more familiar with the different parts of the plant. You’ll also get to learn about the blast furnaces why the steelworkers needed brass checks to enter the gate each morning.

Where to Stay for Bethlehem Steel Tours

When you’re making your plans to take one of the Bethlehem Steel tours, be sure to book your stay at Sayre Mansion .  Much like Bethlehem Steel, our 1858 mansion has a prominent place in the history of our fair city.  Our rooms and suites have timeless elegance as well as modern amenities that will keep you comfortable during your time with us. And if you need tips on where to go and what to see during your stay, or help with anything else, our knowledgeable staff will be more than happy to assist you. Each morning you will be treated to a full delicious breakfast, so you will have the energy to greet the day and all it has in store for you. For a memorable getaway to Bethlehem, you won’t find a better place to stay than the Sayre Mansion.  We can’t wait to see you soon!

Photo: Mad House Photography on Flickr via Creative Commons

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