‘Star Of Bethlehem’ Lit With Promise Of Steel Returning To Sparrows Point

SPARROWS POINT (WJZ) – The “Star of Bethlehem” is lit erstwhile again astatine Sparrows Point.

“It’s decidedly the authoritative commencement to the Christmas season,” retired steelworker Tom Stoll said. “It keeps the representation live of Bethlehem Steel.”

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Officials with Tradepoint Atlantic lit the alloy prima affixed to the company’s h2o operation Thursday successful an yearly ceremony.

“My dada passed distant past year. So, to travel and spot it lit again…” attendee Ken Medlin, Jr. said, trailing off. “He worked present a agelong time, and helium loved it.”

The prima is the aforesaid 1 Bethlehem Steel lit since 1978 from precocious atop the mill’s “L Furnace.”

“It was the Star of Bethlehem. It was hope,” retired ironworker Jeff Mikula said past period astatine the Baltimore Museum of Industry. “A batch of pride. That was a batch of anticipation for a batch of people. Too galore of them gave their (lives) down there, too. A batch of radical died passim each the years.”

It is chartless however galore died successful the plant’s 125-year run. A monument to fallen steelworkers, erstwhile extracurricular the national hall, present stands successful Dundalk’s Heritage Park.

At its height, Bethlehem Steel astatine Sparrows Point was erstwhile the biggest alloy mill successful the world, liable for gathering ships, precocious rises, and bridges.

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“When you enactment astatine a spot similar that, it’s successful your blood. It’s successful your pores,” Mikula said.

Bethlehem Steel filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy successful 2001. Steel accumulation continued done different owners until 2012. The “L Furnace” was demolished successful 2015.

The archetypal “Star of Bethlehem” endured, lit astatine assorted locations since. Its caller location is connected the Tradepoint Atlantic h2o operation facing north.

“People successful the assemblage relied connected it to spot it from Thanksgiving to the archetypal of the year,” Mikula said.

This year’s lighting comes with it the committedness alloy is returning to Sparrows Point. A fabrication installation is successful the works with US Wind, gathering materials for its upwind farms on the eastbound coast.

“It’s precise emotional,” Jim Strong of the steelworkers said up of the August announcement. “We’ve ever viewed this country arsenic ineffable ground.”

The installation is expected to make 500 national jobs erstwhile it’s up and running.

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The Baltimore Museum of Industry has galore Bethlehem Steel past exhibits and a impermanent photography accumulation from Joe Giordano.

Paul Gessler