The town of Weirton only existed because of the steel plant--wasn't much there before that was built. The head of the mill was also the mayor. Weirton Steel built many of the houses, installed utilities and infrastructure, the Community Center and Library--those opened in the late 1950s, I believe. I remember how exciting it was, as a kid. My dad carried the giant plaster Santa on his crane down to the Community Center every Christmas. He worked for the Mill his whole life, as did most folks. There was also a coal mine that supplied the Mill. The elaborate heavy industry of that era is simply astonishing! Glad to see, at least, some record of it.
The blast furnaces and the BOP are gone now. They don't make steel from scratch there anymore. The tin and plate mill are still there as part of Nucour.
@@dorseykindler9544 I think Mitel owns it now. But they stopped making steel from scratch long ago. It’s all torn down and a brownfield. But I think a new battery factory is being built thanks to Biden, which the whole state hates as the whole place is a right wing hardcore Trump state now. So go figure. Glad I got out of there long ago.
To think at one time that place employed 14,000 people is SURREAL. Especially when you watch videos when it was BUSTLING. GREAT video! Thanks for posting! Was this the MAIN objective of your trip or just a stop?
This was definitely one of the main points of interest and I'm so glad we got to see it. We actually got into everything that was on my list with one exception. We didn't rely on local help for anything, just set out on the road and went for it.
@@sublunar INCREDIBLE. Coincidentally I'm watching clips from the 1983 movie Reckless where it shows THIS steel mill in FULL OPERATION and then I get the notification of your response! Unbelievable.
not a bad video and very cool view in some places but weirton steel wasnt torn down... or shut down for that matter.. Its still running, i work there in the tin mill.. The BOP was tore down which is probably where you are in the video but the rest of the mill still stands strong!
@@sublunar yes alot of the tin mill strip and CA are still running an operating every day its the area where the blast furnaces are that isnt still up.. the coating and strip steel are still running strong
@@BubbaZ601 right on yeah they were running when we were there exploring the old section and we had to be careful not to get too close. Not trying to cause trouble or run into people working either. I am in awe of the work done here and the magnitude of the site. Weirton was regularly setting output production records during wwii etc..and massive blast furnaces are just cool as hell imo
@@sublunar completely agree with you.. its amazing what can come out of such a small town.. that place has so many cool rooms and such.. i found a couple things with dates from 1950-60s
Holy sh.t, what a monstrosity! They left a little bit of scrap metal behind -- doesn't seem very profittable to let it all rust into the wind like that.. Those gorgeous motors (the ones bigger than you,) were probably 70+HP, making for attractive items to EV car enthusiasts! All just to waste away, with little chance of intelligently repurposing now wasted resources.
The town of Weirton only existed because of the steel plant--wasn't much there before that was built. The head of the mill was also the mayor. Weirton Steel built many of the houses, installed utilities and infrastructure, the Community Center and Library--those opened in the late 1950s, I believe. I remember how exciting it was, as a kid. My dad carried the giant plaster Santa on his crane down to the Community Center every Christmas. He worked for the Mill his whole life, as did most folks. There was also a coal mine that supplied the Mill. The elaborate heavy industry of that era is simply astonishing! Glad to see, at least, some record of it.
Love that place, thanks for letting us "explore" it before it was torn down!!
The blast furnaces and the BOP are gone now. They don't make steel from scratch there anymore. The tin and plate mill are still there as part of Nucour.
Nucor is still around? Just read about them in a book from the early 90s called “American Steel.”
@@dorseykindler9544 I think Mitel owns it now. But they stopped making steel from scratch long ago. It’s all torn down and a brownfield. But I think a new battery factory is being built thanks to Biden, which the whole state hates as the whole place is a right wing hardcore Trump state now. So go figure. Glad I got out of there long ago.
@@dorseykindler9544 They are building a huge mill in Apple Grove WV
Man this is awesome!
To think at one time that place employed 14,000 people is SURREAL. Especially when you watch videos when it was BUSTLING. GREAT video! Thanks for posting! Was this the MAIN objective of your trip or just a stop?
This was definitely one of the main points of interest and I'm so glad we got to see it. We actually got into everything that was on my list with one exception. We didn't rely on local help for anything, just set out on the road and went for it.
@@sublunar INCREDIBLE. Coincidentally I'm watching clips from the 1983 movie Reckless where it shows THIS steel mill in FULL OPERATION and then I get the notification of your response! Unbelievable.
not a bad video and very cool view in some places but weirton steel wasnt torn down... or shut down for that matter.. Its still running, i work there in the tin mill.. The BOP was tore down which is probably where you are in the video but the rest of the mill still stands strong!
Is any of the stuff in this video still standing? I was under the impression that it was all gone now. It was a pretty incredible place
@@sublunar yes alot of the tin mill strip and CA are still running an operating every day its the area where the blast furnaces are that isnt still up.. the coating and strip steel are still running strong
@@BubbaZ601 right on yeah they were running when we were there exploring the old section and we had to be careful not to get too close. Not trying to cause trouble or run into people working either. I am in awe of the work done here and the magnitude of the site. Weirton was regularly setting output production records during wwii etc..and massive blast furnaces are just cool as hell imo
@@sublunar completely agree with you.. its amazing what can come out of such a small town.. that place has so many cool rooms and such.. i found a couple things with dates from 1950-60s
How do you get permission to explore these gems?
Damn, the day this factory is torn down, the price of rust will collapse at the stock exchange !
hey now the last bail out in wall street for the Bankers ( as honest as they are ....Ya right ) was enough
they built me to die to lung exhaustion in a place like this
Great video man.
Might not recognize me but, you've responded to my posts on the underground ozarks forum :)
Holy sh.t, what a monstrosity! They left a little bit of scrap metal behind -- doesn't seem very profittable to let it all rust into the wind like that.. Those gorgeous motors (the ones bigger than you,) were probably 70+HP, making for attractive items to EV car enthusiasts!
All just to waste away, with little chance of intelligently repurposing now wasted resources.
Where is this?
Weirton, West Virginia, far northern panhandle between ohio and pennsylvania
Gone and likely never coming back. sad.