Wyandotte in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
America's First Bessemer Steel Mill
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, April 7, 2021
1. America's First Bessemer Steel Mill Marker
Inscription.
America's First Bessemer Steel Mill. . Eber B. Ward, pioneer industrialist in many fields, built the Eureka Iron Works in Wyandotte in 1854. Here iron ore from Upper Michigan was smelted into iron in furnaces that were heated by charcoal made from wood cut in surrounding forests. Here in 1864 the first steel ingots were made by the Bessemer steel process, a method actually developed by the American, William Kelly, but named for Sir Henry Bessemer. The next year the first Bessemer steel rails were rolled at the Wyandotte mill. Once its value had been proven, Kelly's process was quickly adopted by other companies. Plagued by many difficulties, the Eureka Works was forced to cease operations in 1892.
Eber B. Ward, pioneer industrialist in many fields, built the Eureka Iron Works in Wyandotte in 1854. Here iron ore from Upper Michigan was smelted into iron in furnaces that were heated by charcoal made from wood cut in surrounding forests. Here in 1864 the first steel ingots were made by the Bessemer steel process, a method actually developed by the American, William Kelly, but named for Sir Henry Bessemer. The next year the first Bessemer steel rails were rolled at the Wyandotte mill. Once its value had been proven, Kelly's process was quickly adopted by other companies. Plagued by many difficulties, the Eureka Works was forced to cease operations in 1892.
Erected 1958 by Michigan Historical Commission. (Marker Number S158.)
Location. 42° 12.181′ N, 83° 8.859′ W. Marker is in Wyandotte, Michigan, in Wayne County. Marker is on Elm Street. Marker is in a parking lot next to the Detroit River. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wyandotte MI 48192, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. To better understand the relationship, study each marker in the order shown.
Photographed By Bill Pfingsten, November 20, 2016
2. America's First Bessemer Steel Mill Marker
Detroit River in the background.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 25, 2016, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. This page has been viewed 968 times since then and 72 times this year. Last updated on January 1, 2022, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. Photos:1. submitted on September 26, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. 2. submitted on November 25, 2016, by Bill Pfingsten of Bel Air, Maryland. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
