Monday, August 24, 2015

A Successful Reinvention

Change.
You can't have life without it.
Surviving change calls for effectively adapting.
In some cases, that can mean a reinvention.

re·in·vent
to change (something) so much that it appears to be entirely new.

Enter: Bethlehem Steel.



You can probably picture it in your head.
Smoking stacks
Blasts of heat
Holes of fire
Whistles, Alarms, Shouting Men
That was then,
when Bethlehem Steel helped build the America we know.
Today, Bethlehem Steel stands silent.


But that is not the end of the story.  
The legacy lives on through such structures as the 
Golden Gate Bridge 
Alcatraz Island 
Hoover Dam 
George Washington Bridge
Madison Square Garden 


While silent, Bethlehem Steel is not forgotten. 
There is a vision.



Bethlehem Steel has survived,
and not just in the memories of those who once worked here.


The Hoover Mason Trestle
was once a rail path along the blast furnaces.
Today it is a footpath
providing visitors with an open air museum-like experience.



Around these old blast furnaces
the reinvention continues.



The site surrounding the furnaces
is dedicated to arts, culture, celebrations and entertainment.
Annually this new venue (opened 2011) offers 1,000 concerts and 8 large festivals.


Steel Stacks from the Hoover-Mason Trestle 

Funded by tax grants, corporate and private donors
the Steel Stacks looks to a promising future.



Although I find it rather poignant
that where men labored 12 hrs a day, 7 days a week,
with over 400 deaths by accidents,
we are able to find frolic and fun.


View from the Trestle 

Let's call it a
Happy Ending
and a
New Beginning.



Bethlehem Steel Stacks
101 Founder's Way
Bethlehem, PA 18015





The Party's Here! Where I am linking these days.




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All images by Rebecca Haegele have been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. Click on any image to go to its gallery for purchasing information.

22 comments:

Sherrie said...

Hi,
Very moving story, thanks for sharing.
Have a great day!

Ohmydearests said...

Yes, the cycles of life and even big industry. Fascinating images + words.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

What a beautiful old place. I love that they have preserved it like that. I agree about the poignancy and the cycle of life.

21 Wits said...

Now this is some place to visit and learn all about!

Tamar SB said...

That is so cool!!

Kathy said...

True recycling!

MadSnapper said...

i just showed this to bob, his daughter lives in Bethlehem and Bob worked in North Penn Steel for years... and is very familar with this. so glad they re-cycled it

Anonymous said...

Always important to remember and have access to history! Your pics emphasize the big- and grand-ness of this place:)

Buckeroomama said...

I love the textures in these images!

Nicki said...

Outstanding industrial shots and historic tour.

Alicia said...

Great pictures! And the way you describe things I can almost hear the machinery and the workers bustling about!

Mersad said...

I can feel the machinery coming to life again. Great story and images that follow it. Especially the rust and blue colored pipes. Wonderful sights all around!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

EG CameraGirl said...

Fascinating to see how Bethlehem Steel lives on.

A Colorful World said...

Fascinating! What a wonderful tribute with some awesome photos!

Blogoratti said...

Wonderful thoughts, and those photos bring life to everything. Greetings!

Anonymous said...

Wooow! Great photography!!! You did a nice job with patterns, lines and colours. Congrats!
Visiting from Mersad Donko Photography "Through My Lens".
http://stapjesonderweg.blogspot.be/2015/08/quejigales.html
Greetings from Hilde

doodles n daydreams said...

Quite a poignant post with beautiful images and words.
Have a great day,

Diana

Ida said...

Those were amazing. I loved all the photos especially the one with the patina on the pipes.

Nancy said...

I love seeing areas that were once a vital part of a community rebirthed and given new hope and direction....You certainly captured some wonderful shots.

you-wee because said...

Great industry photography, Rebecca,
we've a similar industrial monument here in Germany - Voelklinger Huette!
http://www.voelklinger-huette.org/de/weltkulturerbe-voelklinger-huette/

Enjoy a great new week,
Uwe.

you-wee because said...

By the way: Haegele (Hägele) sounds very German, even Swabian. Do you have German ancestors and do you even speak German, Rebecca??

Also noch einmal auf Deutsch:

Übrigens: Haegele (German: Hägele) klingt ziemlich Deutsch, sogar Schwäbisch. Hast du deutsche Vorfahren und sprichst du sogar noch Deutsch, Rebecca?

Grüße aus Deutschland!
Uwe. ("you-wee" :-)

Tom said...

Love places like this!