Beyond the Walls of the Classroom: Other Examples of Public History Projects
The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area practices public history through a variety of ways. RSNHA provides tours which commemorate Pittsburgh’s steel past as well as offers numerous student programs.
The Babushkas and Hard Hat tours provides a look at the immigrant population that contributed to the make-up of the employees in the steel industry. Another tour offered is The Carrie Blast Furnace tour which takes participants on a journey thought the now National Historic Landmark and explains the daily operations of the mill. The tours offer the chance to examine how the industry played a role in shaping of the economy as well as the city’s culture and environment.21
Rivers of Steel offers six student programs: steel worker traveling trunk, mobile sculpture workshop, folk artists in the classroom, folklorist residencies, folk and traditional artist referrals, and folk artist training. Each of these provides students with the opportunity to create a project.
The steel worker traveling trunk program helps students understand the experience of the steel worker and the dangers they faced. It also provides students with an understanding of the steel making process and displays the workers clothing and proactive gear. The students are then able to create a personalized project for public display. The mobile sculpture workshop teaches students about welding and metal fabrication, allowing the students are also able to create a sculpture for public display.
The Battle of Homestead Foundation, founded to preserve the Pump House in Homestead, plans various events at the pump house and has completed several projects regarding the steel past.
At the time when the pump house was without power, the BHF showed films and other presentations using a generator. However, the light from the windows needed to be shaded. Therefore, fourteen banners which depicted the Homestead workers from 1880-1980 were created as well as scenes of the open hearth, a Bessemer blow, and a mill town.22 The pump house not only serves as a historic site but the BHF hosts various lectures, discussions, and other events at this location.
The activities listed are various examples of public history and how their efforts address the steel past. The walking tour presented allows for individuals to explore the now historic Carrie Blast Furnace, which was part of the Homestead Steel Works. The tour preserves the past by allowing individuals to travel around the structure while a guide discusses the purpose of the site, the role of the workers, and the impact it had in Pittsburgh. Using the walking tour as an example, students can examine why public history is used and evaluate the purpose it has in understanding the past. Furthermore, students can examine each of these public history examples and determine what part of the past is being remembered and why, as well as examine various viewpoints regarding industrialization and deindustrialization.
Additionally, the RSNHA provides various opportunities for students which can promote discussions as to why these programs exist, what history, or whose history is remembered. Also, it promotes discussion as to why students create products themselves at the conclusion.
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