Don’t erase industrial heritage, embrace it!

In many post-industrial American cities, the legacy of their manufacturing might is too often gradually rusting away or being erased from memory in the hopes that new developments will somehow rekindle a once proud past. As a result, significant aspects of our collective history are being lost to time, decay, and neglect.

West Bay waterfront in Traverse City, Michigan prior to removal of the industrial structures – Source: record-eagle.com

Here in Traverse City, the vast majority of the bayfront’s industrial legacy has been erased. While the ensuing parklands, beaches, marina, and open space are lovely, it seems that some of the more iconic aspects of those previous industries could have been spared the wrecking ball or bulldozer. Unfortunately, as a city becomes a tourist and retirement destination, the waterfront becomes more and more valuable for other purposes. Despite the removal of industrial remnants fronting West Bay, with planning and good foresight by the community, much of Traverse City’s scenic bayfront wasn’t lost to private development. Most of the former industrial areas are now held within the public realm.

Oval Wood Dish Factory – Source: gtjournal.tadl.org/tag/lumbering/

Elsewhere in the city, a few industrial-era structures have been thoughtfully preserved, such as the Traverse City Cigar Box Company (now offices and lofts) and the Straub Brothers & Amiotte Candy Factory (now North Peak Brewing, Kilkenny’s, and apartments/condos). See images of both below.

Candy Factory – Source: gtjournal.tadl.org

Traverse City Cigar Box Co. – Source: realtor.com

Thankfully, many cities have learned not to erase their industrial heritage. Increasingly, cities are preserving and adapting fascinating relics of their industrial past into iconic public spaces such as community parks, gathering sites, performance venues, museums, and landmark historic sites. This post highlights six (6) fabulous examples from across the United States:

Steel Stacks in Bethlehem, PA;
Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL;
Lower Harbor Ore Dock in Marquette, MI;
Mill Ruins Park in Minneapolis, MN;
Steamtown in Scranton, PA; and
Gas Works Park in Seattle, WA.

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA – Steel Stacks & Cultural Campus

Steel Stacks – Source: asla.org

Steel Stacks includes a variety of activities and event spaces including:

ArtsQuest
Banana Factory Arts & Education Center
Chriskindmarkt
Levitt Pavilion
Musikfest
Multiple additional festivals include Sabor Latin Festival, Oktoberfest, Podcast Festival, Blast Furnace Blues, and Improv Comedy Festival
National Museum of Industrial History
Tours and educational events

Before and after view of Steel Stacks – Source: metropolismagazine.com

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA – Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

The Shed at Sloss Furnaces – Source: al.com

Sloss Furnaces includes a variety of activities and event spaces including:

Furnace Fest
Multiple event venue locations
Music events
National Historic Landmark (1981)
National Register of Historic Places (1972)
Sloss Metal Arts
Tours and educational events
Visitors center and museum

Sloss Furnaces – Source: commons.wikimedia.org

MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – planned Ore Dock BotEco (Botanical/Ecological) Center

Planned BotEco Center – Source: uppermichigansource.com

Ore Dock BotEco Center is intended to include a variety of activities and event spaces including:

Direct access to the Iron Ore Heritage Trail
Directly located on Marquette’s scenic Lower Harbor
Botanical gardens and ecological education center
Preserved historic structure (Lower Harbor Ore Dock)

September 2020 view of the Lower Harbor Ore Dock – photo by author

Up close view of the iron ore/taconite chutes – Photo by author

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – Mill Ruins Park

Mill Ruins Park – Source: http://www.facebook.com/MillRuinsPark/

Mill Ruins Park includes a variety of activities and event spaces including:

Biking and walking paths
Demonstration prairie
Mill City Museum
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National Register of Historic Places (St. Anthony Falls Historic District – 1971)
Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam
Visitors Center