Chances are, if you live in or near Buffalo, you know someone with ties to the Western New York steel industry. While the majority of the Bethlehem Steel facilities burned in a recent fire, the history of this plant is still very much alive. Take a look at the rare photos below that show Buffalo’s steel industry history like never before.
This aerial shot shows just how impressive the footprint of Bethlehem Steel (formerly Lackawanna Steel) was.
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Here, you can see a diagram of the different divisions of the plant.
Wikimedia
Steel workers once made up a large percentage of workers in Buffalo.
Jet Lowe - Wikimedia Commons Many employees lived extremely close to the plant in Lackawanna. To this day, you will notice the large amount of homes lining Route 5.
At its prime, the plant employed over 20,000 workers and spanned 1,300 acres.
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The Lackawanna plant of Bethlehem Steel was once the world’s largest steelmaking operation.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-BUF,38–16)
Until recently, you could still drive down Route 5 to see the massive structures of the facilities.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–148)
The plant focused mainly on building steel parts for ships and tanks, as well as structural steel for military purposes.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress Archives (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–47)
Buffalo’s proximity to Lake Erie made it convenient for delivering the finished steel products.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–32)
What was once the fourth largest steel mill in the world is now merely a remnant of Buffalo’s industrial history.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Digital ID: hhh.ny1584) via Wikimedia Commons
Bethlehem Steel closed most of the Lackawanna Plant in the 1980s, and the facilities suffered from a massive fire in 2016.
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If you think these photos are interesting, be sure to check out this rare video footage of steel workers clashing with police during a strike. (Video via Critical Past – YouTube.)
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Wikimedia
Jet Lowe - Wikimedia Commons
Many employees lived extremely close to the plant in Lackawanna. To this day, you will notice the large amount of homes lining Route 5.
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-BUF,38–16)
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–148)
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress Archives (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–47)
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Call Number: HAER NY,15-LACK,1–32)
Jet Lowe / Library of Congress (Digital ID: hhh.ny1584) via Wikimedia Commons
Did you or a family member once work at the Lackawanna Plant? Do you have ties to this important piece of our region’s history? Share you stories in the comments below.
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