Towns and Nature

Thursday, December 2, 2021

Morgantown, PA: 1958-77 Bethlehem Grace Iron Ore Mine

Not only did Bethlehem have their own coal mine in Pennsylvania, they had their own ore mine.

James Torgeson posted
The Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine in Berks County operated from 1958-1977

James Torgeson posted
The Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine operated from 1958-1977. It was served by the Reading Railroad for most of its life, and Conrail for a short time.

Remembering Bethlehem Mines posted

moam, p2

Bethlehem Steel - Remembering Grace Mine updated

Remembering Bethlehem Mines posted
Aerial View Grace Mine 1974
https://nmihbethlehemsteel.omeka.net/items/show/1541
James Torgeson shared
Fred Lannert: James Torgeson What I found interesting was that they also mined titanium there. Timet makes titanium in Morgantown. We rolled it at Lukens. The mill didn’t like it after the 2nd pass.
James Torgeson: Fred Lannert I was just in a camping store earlier in the week and they offered titanium silverware for those that really want to pack light. It was made in USA but I wondered where.

Remembering Bethlehem Mines posted
Grace Mine shaft headframe under construction.
https://edan.si.edu/slideshow/viewer/?eadrefid=NMAH.AC.1242_ref79
James Torgeson shared
The headframe for the Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine is under construction in this late 1950s photo. The facility was in operation from 1958-1977, shipping pellets by rail, primarily to the Bethlehem Plant.

Mike Bernard posted
Grace Mine Morgantown,Pa 1957 Pellet plant construction. I like the “Steel by Bethlehem” sign leaning at one end.
Bill Hill: When Bethlehem decided to close the Grace mine the superintendent couldn’t believe it and kept the pumps running for a couple years.
Mike Bernard: Bill Hill true story. Until upper management found out!
James Torgeson shared
In this 1957 view, Bethlehem Steel Fabricated Steel Construction is erecting the steel for the Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine pellet plant. The underground Grace Mine operated from 1958-1977, supplying iron ore pellets primarily to the home plant in Bethlehem. The pellets were railed from Joanna to Bethlehem via the Reading Railroad, and later Conrail.

Remembering Bethlehem Mines posted two photos with the comment: "Grace Mine ca 1969."

James Torgeson shared with the comment: "The Bethlehem Steel Grace Mine was in operation from 1958-1977. It supplied ore pellets primarily to the Bethlehem Plant that were shipped by rail via the Reading, and later Conrail."

Remembering Bethlehem Mines posted
March 1, 1954. Grace Mine shfts now +1000'

IronMiners has a photo with all of the buildings identified.

Grace Mine was a former Bethlehem Steel Mine, situated near Morgantown, Berks County, PA. At Grace mine, magnetite ore with an iron content of approximately 40 percent was processed through the surface plant. It is first beneficiated to a concentrate of about 65 per cent iron content then baked into rock-hard marble-sized pellets for shipment to the blast furnaces at Bethlehem, Pa.
Bethlehem Steel started construction in 1951, in which they undertook the first step of the mine with the sinking of "A" shaft, the first of two. " A" shaft, which is 2,208 feet deep, was used for hoisting ore and transporting materials. Ultimately, "A" shaft was sunk to depth of "B" shaft, which is 3,079 feet. "B" shaft was used for men and materials. When the mine closed in 1977, both shafts were sealed and the headframes were torn down. Today, the hoist and compressor building still remains, but unfortunately, vacant.
Grace Mine was the last iron ore mine to close in PA.
[IronMiners]

Flickr indicates that ore trains ran until 1985 to clean out the stockpiled ore. Bethlehem sold the property in 1985. They had interests in other iron ore mines.

Chairs Lion posted two photos with the comment:

Then and now.
Bethlehem Review Issue No. 071, "A Bulletin of News for the Employees of the Subsidiary Companies of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation" shows an aerial photo of the Grace Mine property in Morgantown, PA from 1956, shortly before it closed. Today it is an industrial park utilizing some of the original structures.

Jacinta Frierson posted 15 photos with the comment: "Bethlehem steel Grace Mine."

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Cleveland, OH: Lafarge/Huron Cement Plants and E. M. Ford

Historic Plant: (Satellite, the land is now occupied by rowing facilities)

Current Plant: (3D Satellite, it is now owned by Lafarge North America)

(Update: how was E. M. Ford related to J. B. Ford?)

Bill Kloss posted
A Chuck Drumm photo of E.M. Ford at Huron Cement in Cleveland. 1971
Bill Kloss posted
A Chuck Drumm photo of E.M. Ford at Huron Cement in Cleveland. 1971
Joe Wojt: That bridge came down on the S. T. Crapo I was wheeling on it back in the 60's. It came down on the spar and we were grounded. I remember that train ran at 50+ miles per hour. All traffic was stopped River and rail.
[Below are some photos of the S. T. Crapo from another Bill Kloss post.]

Dennis DeBruler commented on Joe's comment

Where was that bridge located? The only Huron Cement facility that I have been able to find was just south of British Street on the west side of Ox Bow Bend. But a view looking across the river at that facility would have the CUT Viaduct in the background.

https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4084cm.g4084cm_g06648195201A/?sp=34&r=-0.068,-0.08,0.812,0.851,0

[Update: The bridge is the Willow Avenue Bridge and Huron Cement is now Lafarge North America.]

Bill Kloss posted
From the Chuck Drumm folder. E.M. Ford at Huron Cement in Cleveland. 1971
Brad Schultetus: From that view, she seems really narrow..

Andrew Haenisch posted four photos with the comment: "Went in to work later in the day and got to visit NACC ARGONAUT in the port of Cleveland this morning."

Dennis DeBruler shared with the comment:

The first photo taught me that they unload cement using air instead of conveyors.

https://www.google.com/.../data=!3m2!1e3...

Mike Wolferd: Some vessels use conveyors to move the cement on board.

Shawn Brink: From what I've seen Lafarge blows it pneumatically & St Mary's uses conveyors & elevators. Kind of curious which is faster but there's probably less maintenance blowing it.

Mike Wolferd: Shawn Brink pneumatic offloading is faster. I think it was the integrity last year I was unloading that they were well over 500 tons an hour.

BigRon Toledo: The bulker's that deliver to the various concrete companies blow it into the silos, and when the blow them up it is like a fog!!!

4, cropped

Bill Kloss posted two photos with the comment: "S.T. Crapo at Huron Cement in Cleveland."

Tony Paul Crochet: Alex King STC has not moved from Green Bay in 25 years...

Art Gage: Tony Paul Crochet actually I believe she was towed to Alpena mi and back from Green Bay when the Alpena was being repaired after the fire!

Tony Paul Crochet: Art Gage Yep we did that once or twice (?) after the Alpena fire, I don't recall if they used it after the SDC had her fire, stuff like that does not stay in my head for long... I've worked the Great Lakes for 25 years but I'm no history buff at all...

Bobby Foskett: She was a "fast one" in her day.

Joe Wojt: Bobby Foskett ya 12 knots

Greg Offenback: One day about 25 years ago I was in St. Joseph Michigan getting a haircut. I noticed black smoke rolling up the street. I was wondering what was on fire. I walked down to the river and there was the S.T. Crapo with her bow against the south seawall, and her stern against a fender at the CSX railroad swing bridge. She was caught in the swift current, as it was in the spring after a lot of rain. They strung a cable across the channel to the Lafarge dock, but her steam winch didn't have enough power. They had to bring in a tug. I bought a disposable camera and got pictures of it. I need to find those pictures.

1
[This freighter is now (2023) at the scrappers.]

Bill Kloss posted
Alpena at her winter home at Holcim in Cleveland. She'll be out soon! 3/16/2023

Propped Productions posted three photos with the comment:

The MV Tamarack looks right at home on the Cuyahoga, but it is one of the newest working vessels on the Great Lakes. Built in 2025, this mechanical and pneumatic cement carrier was designed specifically for Great Lakes service, with diesel electric propulsion, advanced maneuverability, and lower emission features including shore power compatibility and the ability to run on HVO biofuel.
In these photos, Tamarack is tied up beside the silos along the Cuyahoga River, where cement is unloaded and stored before being taken out by tanker truck. It is a straightforward process, but it says a lot about how Cleveland still works as a port city. Ships bring in the material, the silos hold it, and trucks carry it out for use across the region. These are the kinds of scenes that quietly keep construction and industry moving through out NE Ohio.

Rick Krause shared

More info on the original Huron Cement plant

Because of the Cleveland Union Terminal Viaduct in the background, this photo taught me to look on the southwest side of Ox Bow Bend in the Sanborn Maps.