Thursday, November 22, 2012

A Steel Mill Town's Population Decline


Football Team Keeps Mill Town's Heart Beating.  (The New York Times, 11/21/2012)

Excerpt:   In its heyday, when the mill ran three shifts, 24/7, Clairton supported three movie theaters, four car dealerships, a full-time recreation director. There was no urgent reason to travel upriver to Pittsburgh. Almost anything a person needed was here. Now the coke plant employs 1,300 workers, compared with 5,000 at the height of the steel industry, according to the local union. Residents must drive five miles out of town simply to buy fresh produce.

The library is open 46 hours per weeks.  No evening access, though.


  • Revenue:  $139,465
  • Materials expenditures:  $14,907
  • Collection size:  29,711 (670 items added in 2010)
  • Circulation:  22,639

No comments: