I have always had a keen interest in history, and, whenever I get the chance to combine my love for photography with it, I am all in. Earlier this month I was able to shoot the Bethlehem Steel property in Pennsylvania. Founded in 1857, it was a key supplier of steel that fueled the Industrial Revolution in the United States. It's main competition during the 1800's was the Carnegie Steel Company, founded by the famed industrialist and later philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie sold his interests to another "robber baron" of the times, J.P. Morgan, and the resulting company was renamed U.S. Steel. The two companies competed head-to-head for steel supremacy for over a century, before Bethlehem Steel succumbed to a declining steel industry and foreign competition in 2003.
I wanted to capture a photo that conveyed the demise of this once powerful company, and found it in one of the parking lots on the property. I knew that in order to capture the full breadth of the ruins of this abandoned building, I needed to shoot a panorama. I love the cool arches, and the bonus was the steel stacks that were in the background of one of the arches.
For the best view, click on the image to see it against a dark background.