Roebling Steel Mill
Roebling steel is now only a shell of what it once was. In
its day it was one of the largest steel producers in New
Jersey. Starting in Trenton, Roebling moved to
Kinkora, to solve a space issue. But when moving to
Kinkora, a new problem arose. Where would they find
and house the many workers that would be needed to run
a mill of the size, invisioned by Charles Roebling. Thus
the town of Roebling was born. At its finish there were
more than 750 houses, and a large steel producing mill in
the foreground. But it was not filled with all pleasure.
Roebling was a steel town. And everything in it was
owned by the mill. Employees would rent there homes
and could be thrown out without notice. One thing that
Roebling was worried about was the possiblility of the
forming of a union. But that was taken care of.
Roebling imported most of his employees from Eastern
Europe, which they were just happy to have a job paying
12 cents an hour. While Italians who gained prominace
as labor agitators in Trenton, where quietly barred from
employment.
In the 1930's and the 1940's was the high point for the
town of Roebling. The Blue Centers, a football team
formed of mill workers were on a roll and were the pride
of the town. The mill also produced the steel cable
required for the construction of The Golden Gate
Bridge, and The George Washington Bridge. And the
WW2 contracts that the mill aquired brought
employment up to over 5,000. But that would be short
lived as compaired to the entire life of the mill. In the
1950's with the war over the mill started to downsize.
The first of the hits came as the mill sold off all the
employee housing to the employees. In 1952, the mill
sold out to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, and in
1974 they closed the doors to the mills in both Trenton
and in Roebling.
Today Roebling bolsters 3,800 people in a bedroom
community. Its industrial might is no more. Only a sign
into the past of this once industrially sound town.
Florence Township along with the U.S. Government as
sunk in 20 million dollars to environmentaly clean up the
area. It may one day be the home to a marina or a large
shopping complex. Roebling as with all industrial towns
in the late 1800's and the early 1900's has now pasted its
prime. The mills that once lite up the night sky now sits
cold and dark. Today most of the mill is gone. And what
is left now only represents a small amount of what was
there in its day. Roebling is now only a shell of what it
once was, as with the rest of the big steel towns like
Bethlehem, Pittsburg and so on. It is time to move on,
but we must not forget the history and the men who
made Roebling into one of the biggest mills in New
Jersey. Roebling will live on in the minds of the people
who worked there and called this town there home. So
lets not forget them.
its day it was one of the largest steel producers in New
Jersey. Starting in Trenton, Roebling moved to
Kinkora, to solve a space issue. But when moving to
Kinkora, a new problem arose. Where would they find
and house the many workers that would be needed to run
a mill of the size, invisioned by Charles Roebling. Thus
the town of Roebling was born. At its finish there were
more than 750 houses, and a large steel producing mill in
the foreground. But it was not filled with all pleasure.
Roebling was a steel town. And everything in it was
owned by the mill. Employees would rent there homes
and could be thrown out without notice. One thing that
Roebling was worried about was the possiblility of the
forming of a union. But that was taken care of.
Roebling imported most of his employees from Eastern
Europe, which they were just happy to have a job paying
12 cents an hour. While Italians who gained prominace
as labor agitators in Trenton, where quietly barred from
employment.
In the 1930's and the 1940's was the high point for the
town of Roebling. The Blue Centers, a football team
formed of mill workers were on a roll and were the pride
of the town. The mill also produced the steel cable
required for the construction of The Golden Gate
Bridge, and The George Washington Bridge. And the
WW2 contracts that the mill aquired brought
employment up to over 5,000. But that would be short
lived as compaired to the entire life of the mill. In the
1950's with the war over the mill started to downsize.
The first of the hits came as the mill sold off all the
employee housing to the employees. In 1952, the mill
sold out to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, and in
1974 they closed the doors to the mills in both Trenton
and in Roebling.
Today Roebling bolsters 3,800 people in a bedroom
community. Its industrial might is no more. Only a sign
into the past of this once industrially sound town.
Florence Township along with the U.S. Government as
sunk in 20 million dollars to environmentaly clean up the
area. It may one day be the home to a marina or a large
shopping complex. Roebling as with all industrial towns
in the late 1800's and the early 1900's has now pasted its
prime. The mills that once lite up the night sky now sits
cold and dark. Today most of the mill is gone. And what
is left now only represents a small amount of what was
there in its day. Roebling is now only a shell of what it
once was, as with the rest of the big steel towns like
Bethlehem, Pittsburg and so on. It is time to move on,
but we must not forget the history and the men who
made Roebling into one of the biggest mills in New
Jersey. Roebling will live on in the minds of the people
who worked there and called this town there home. So
lets not forget them.
