Sloss Furnaces

Credit Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark (2)

Birmingham isn’t only well-known for its important involvement in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, it is also known for its iron industry involvement, believe it or not. That’s right, Birmingham was actually the largest pig iron-producing blast furnace in the area from 1882-1970, giving the region almost 90 years of excellent and industrious service. A leader in U.S iron production, the famous Sloss Furnaces here each weighed about 400 tons, massively easy to see why they made such a huge impact on the local economy and business. These furnaces are actually what is considered to be the ‘rise to the city of Birmingham’, the mess of pipes and smokestacks giving a good glimpse ‘into the industrial past of the South and of the nation as a whole’.

Guests can take free public tours here each Saturday around 1 pm, each lasting around 1 hour. If you plan to see the iron pours, you must wear close-toe shoes and long pants for your own protection. You may also choose to either get self-guided tour information from the Visitor Center (plus watch a complimentary educational film) or plan a more formal group ‘field trip’ tour (minimum of 15 guests). Guests may also get involved in volunteer opportunities, membership, or photography courses here!