Sloss Furnaces

at , Birmingham , 35203 United States

1. Arts & Entertainment

Description

Sloss Furnaces is a National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, Alabama in the United States. It operated as a pig iron-producing blast furnace from 1882 to 1971. After closing it became one of the first industrial sites (and the only blast furnace) in the U.S. to be preserved and restored for public use. In 1981 the furnaces were designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior.The site currently serves as an interpretive museum of industry and hosts a nationally recognized metal arts program. It also serves as a concert and festival venue. Construction is also underway on a new $10 million visitors center. The furnace site, along a wide strip of land reserved in Birmingham's original city plan for railroads and industry, is also part of a proposed linear park through downtown Birmingham. An annual Halloween haunted attraction called "Sloss Fright Furnace" is held at the site.HistoryColonel James Withers Sloss was one of the founders of Birmingham, helping to promote railroad development in Jones Valley, Alabama and participating in the Pratt Coke and Coal Company, one of the new city's first manufacturers. In 1880 he formed his own company, the Sloss Furnace Company, and began construction of Birmingham's first blast furnace on 50 acres (202,000 m²) of land donated by the Elyton Land Company for industrial development. The engineer in charge of construction was Harry Hargreaves, a former student of English inventor Thomas Whitwell. The two Whitwell-type furnaces were 60 feet (18 m) tall and 18 feet (5.4 m) in diameter. The first blast was initiated in April 1882. The facility produced 24,000 tons of high quality iron during its first year of operation. Sloss iron won a bronze medal at the Southern Exposition held in 1883 at Louisville, Kentucky.

Reviews for Sloss Furnaces

L M.

Total gem - a fantastic way to spend an afternoon in Birmingham. Sloss Furnaces closed in 1970 but remains an unadulterated iron playground. We roamed... Read more

Andy N.

Sloss Furnaces is a cross between urban exploration and a tourist site. It is one of Birmingham's iconic landmarks that has lasted over the years, and I... Read more

Lindsay K.

This was hands-down the best attraction I've been to! So unique. Passed through on a road trip, and I thought my passenger was joking when she said we could... Read more

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Company Rating

259 FB users likes Sloss Furnaces, set it to 6 position in Likes Rating for Birmingham, Alabama in Landmark & Historical Place category

Summary

Sloss Furnaces is Birmingham based place and this enity listed in Arts & Entertainment category. 35203. Contact phone number of Sloss Furnaces: (205) 324-1911