Where's Marty? Looking Back At Bethlehem Steel With J.M. Giordano

Hi everyone!

Today it was back to the incredible Baltimore Museum of Industry. And our third trip did not disappoint.

Ten years ago on Friday, the last steel was produced at Sparrows Point. For the longest time, Bethlehem Steel produced steel and made ships at an area in eastern Baltimore County known as Sparrows Point. At one point, it was the largest steel mill in the world.

With Sparrows Point being next to deep water, it was the perfect place to ship product. Factory towns grew on the edges of the plant. Dundalk, Sparrows Point, Edgemere and others were where nearly 50,000 employees lived and worked.

To say the impact of "The Point" was large is just an understatement. I can assure you, if you're new to the area, that someone you have met had someone in their family who worked at Bethlehem Steel. Ask around you will see. At least one person will say yes.

The massive machinery produced steel for things like the Golden Gate Bridge, historic skyscrapers, and the "Liberty Ships" that helped to win World War II. And then it ended.

Acclaimed photo journalist J. M. Giordano chronicled the end, and in a riveting display called "Shuttered," the end of the steel-making era, the faces of workers, the union halls and factory towns all come to life.

His coffee table book, on sale online or at the BMI is the entire collection of "Shuttered." Stunning. Joe was our guest this morning and we thank him off taking time to join us. His photographer's eye is total pro game.

(Check his website out for more on this exceptional talent.)

Here is the link to the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Besides "Fire & Shadow" there is enough at the Key highway site to keep big and little kids occupied for a good long afternoon.

And to those of you who may have worked at "The Point" and are reading this, you have my respect.

Marty B!