Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Forge Shop No. 1, Along Lehigh River, North of Fourth Street, Bethlehem, Northampton County, PA

Significance: The Forge Shop building was constructed in 1887 to house the 125 ton steam hammer. In 1892 when it was found that the constant pressure applied by a press could create a better forging than the repeated pounding of a hammer, the 14,000 ton press was installed. The press has an 8-1/2 foot stroke and a 14 x 17 foot forging capacity. It was disassembled in the 1940s. The press was powered by a 3-cylinder 15,000 hp steam engine. This steam engine, constructed by Bethlehem Steel, was the largest land engine in existence in 1900. The exact configuration of the crane truss is unknown. Its depiction here is based on inspection of nineteenth century photographs.

Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N29

Survey number: HAER PA-186-A

forge shops bethlehem steel corporation bethlehem steel corporation forge shop forge shop lehigh river fourth street northampton northampton county pennsylvania history of bethlehem pa historic american engineering record ultra high resolution high resolution biblical events united states history construction sites construction library of congress

1900

Library of Congress

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