Tours

Local tour guides make 125 years of Big Steel come alive on tours. See how the steel industry played a major role in shaping not only the economy but also the culture and environment of the Monongahela Valley communities.

Carrie Furnace Tours

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is operating tours of the Carrie Furnaces at the former U. S. Steel Homestead Works.  Constructed in 1906, the furnaces stood at the heart of U.S. Steel's Homestead Works until 1979.  At one time, the furnaces and the steelworkers who labored in them produced more than 1,000 tons of iron a day. Now, these 92-foot-tall structures stand as sentinels to Pittsburgh's steel heritage.  Tours take visitors through the whole steel-making processs and includes the famous 45' x 35' "Deer Head" crafted entirely of recycled materials found on the site.

Self-paced public tours are scheduled for April 28, May 19, June 16, July 21, August 4, September 15, and October 13.

Guided tour of Carrie are offered in May, June, July, August, September, and October.

Gift certificates for the 2012 are also available.

Click here for directions to the Carrie Furnaces.

Babushkas and Hard Hats

The Babushkas and Hard Hats Tour traces the experiences of the immigrants that poured into the region, from the heights of Mount Washington into the heart of the Monongahela Valley.  This tour includes the Cookie Table and recipes that represent Pittsburgh's best ethnic food traditions.  This tour is availabe June through October.  Please contact Stacy Drane at 412.464.4020 ext. 32 or sdrane@riversofsteel.com for information.

Cycle Through Pittsburgh's Industrial Heritage

This active and eco-friendly excursion takes participants on a trail-side ride through Pittsburgh's industrial past and present.  The tour takes advantage of local riverside trails to give riders a look at industry from the vantage point of its development along the Monongahela River. 

After meeting at Bessemer Court at Station Square, the group progresses at a leisurely pace through the South Side, across the Hot Metal Bridge, and through a typical workers neighborhood before looping back to Station Square along the Eliza Furnace Trail.  At various stops along the route, guides identify and discuss the visible vestiges of former industrial sites and share stories of the workers who once made this region the Steelmaking Capital of the World.  Trail access allows visitors to view several remnants of industry that remain hidden from everyday sight. 

This tour is available for groups of 10 or more, May through September.  For information, call 412-464-4020 ext. 32.  $10 members; $20 non-members