South Side Flats in Pittsburgh in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Open Hearth Steel
River Pump House
— Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area —
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, April 20, 2016
1. Open Hearth Steel Marker
Erected by Friends of the Riverfront, DCNR, National Park Service.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels.
Location. 40° 25.726′ N, 79° 57.829′ W. Marker is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in Allegheny County. It is in the South Side Flats. Marker can be reached from Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Located on the Three Rivers Heritage Trail behind the Hofbrau House and the Hyatt Hotel on Pittsburgh's South Side. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Pittsburgh PA 15203, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The MonCon Railroad (within shouting distance of this marker); Rivers of Steel (within shouting distance of this marker); Materials Handling (within shouting distance of this marker); Cast Iron Columns (about
this page online
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, April 20, 2016
2. Three Generations - A Family's Tale
Steelmaking was often a family affair. Young men grew up expecting to join their fathers, brothers, and cousins in the mill. Ken Kobus (pictured bottom left) related the following story of his experience of going to work with his father. Ken was a third generation J&L man - his grandfather worked 47 years for the company; his father, John (pictured top left), started in 1937 and Ken in 1966.
"When I went into the Shop [for the first time with my dad], I found out that they were going to let me tap the furnace. A lot of guys started coming around and gathering and I sort of realized that this was not the way it was normally, but I didn't really care. I hit the button and it blew up and it made such a god-awful sound, and there was smoke and fire and sparks, and it was just everywhere! And then the steel started running into the spout, and there were flames shooting up out of the spout, and I must have jumped 3 or 4 feet in the air, I was so scared. And then I knew why all these guys were around. They started laughing because it was such a sight to see somebody be so scared. I was the show of the Open Hearth that day."
"When I went into the Shop [for the first time with my dad], I found out that they were going to let me tap the furnace. A lot of guys started coming around and gathering and I sort of realized that this was not the way it was normally, but I didn't really care. I hit the button and it blew up and it made such a god-awful sound, and there was smoke and fire and sparks, and it was just everywhere! And then the steel started running into the spout, and there were flames shooting up out of the spout, and I must have jumped 3 or 4 feet in the air, I was so scared. And then I knew why all these guys were around. They started laughing because it was such a sight to see somebody be so scared. I was the show of the Open Hearth that day."
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, April 20, 2016
3. No. 2 Shop
On the site of this Riverfront Park once stood Jones & Laughlin's massive No. 2 Open Hearth Shop. Though once the industry standard, the Open Hearth Furnace is now mostly obsolete in modern steelmaking. It was used to refine steel by burning off excess carbon and other impurities from pig iron, scrap steel, and limestone to produce steel.
At the start of the 20th century, No. 2 Shop contained nine Open Hearth furnaces. By the 1970s, the outmoded Open Hearth was replaced by Electric Furnaces, which produced steel until the plant's closure in 1984.
At the start of the 20th century, No. 2 Shop contained nine Open Hearth furnaces. By the 1970s, the outmoded Open Hearth was replaced by Electric Furnaces, which produced steel until the plant's closure in 1984.
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, April 20, 2016
4. Charging an Open Hearth Furnace
Photographed By Mike Wintermantel, April 20, 2016
5. Open Hearth Steel Marker
Note walled area of former Pump House
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 22, 2016, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 482 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 22, 2016, by Mike Wintermantel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
