Tom Ratchkauskas Photography: Layers of History - Braddock PA - Rust Colored Ingenuity

In the hills of the Mon Valley, British forces led by General Edward Braddock crossed the Monongahela River and were soon met by an intimidating force of French and Indians. The year was 1755 and the French and Indian War was in its infancy. Braddock and his forces were pushing forward to capture Fort Duquesne but were met with demise as they underestimated the opposition. A battle raged in the field by where Turtle Creek meets the Monongahela River, land originally inhabited by the Lenape led by Queen Allequippa. General Braddock was heavily wounded and died at this point of the expedition. George Washington, one of General Braddock's favorite aides began his rise to fame from this point.

A century after the historic battle, the site known as Braddock's Field was purchased by Andrew Carnegie and became the Edgar Thompson Works, still in operation today. It was one of the first steel mills to use the bessemer process and spearheaded Carnegie's operations. The borough began to grow exponentially as immigrants began to pour in to work in the mill, pushing their way through layers of soot and smoke. Hard work and loyalty did not go unrewarded, as Andrew Carnegie opened the first Carnegie Library as a gift to his employees. The library, opening in 1889 is still in operation today was a community center of sorts, housing a swimming pool, basketball court and music hall.

Braddock, with its influx of industry and immigrants soon became a beacon of growth and capitalism, lined with bustling streets adorned with churches, schools, theaters, restaurants, stores and much more. Lights cut through smoke leading a massive workforce to one of the highest producing steel mills in the world and the affluent residents to the civic luxuries of the town. Into the 1960's, Braddock reached its pinnacle with population of around 20,000.

Move forward into the 1970's and 1980's and steel production abroad began to outperform outdated methods in the Mon Valley. The collapse of the steel industry, along with other socioeconomic downfalls brought about the collapse of Braddock Pennsylvania. Over 90% of the population left for greener pastures as structures were left abandoned and residents left high and dry. The Edgar Thompson Works and various glorious structures such as the Carnegie Library, Charles Schwab's former home and entire rows of abandoned, grand Victorian homes stood as reminder of a glorious past and how detrimental the fall of an industry could be to such a town.

Today, a town forgotten by the region and so down on its luck that not even a restaurant exists within its limits has seen a resurgence in attention and ingenuity. What once created this historic town is making a comeback in a way that would have been laughed at and waved aside just under a decade ago. Nobody thought Braddock would ever see hope. Enter Mayor John Fetterman, a man with a grand stature and a genuine interest in the people and city of Braddock, much like local steel folk hero Joe Magarac. Since his election in 2005, the mayor with a masters degree from Harvard University has engaged in youth programs, a community run farm, the construction of a community center, attracting innovative business and artists and the reconstruction of Braddock homes and facilities. A town and people simply forgotten by the region, now see a glimmer of hope through the rust and rubble. While Braddock still remains a highly undesirable area, new construction has skyrocketed, new and unique business has entered city limits and artwork has begun to cover the walls that once held up so much history. Extremely cheap real estate prices and a group of innovative thinkers has made Braddock a prime example of the Pittsburgh's regions ability to revitalize and repurpose. A drive through Braddock will bring you face to face with despair, abandonment and grit, peppered with art, history, innovation and determination. I myself have passed through Braddock on many occasions and always enjoyed the air of history blended with plight, a sort of "blundered beauty."

Several unique businesses exist at the entrance to Braddock today. A free store giving to the needy of the area, A bio-diesel fuel producer, a microbrewery, art galleries and new construction that will soon host more. Public artwork is encouraged as murals and art installations exist throughout the town. The Microbrewery, The Brew Gentleman Brewing Company is a refreshing surprise with its modern industrial interior and unique beer selection and for a moment while inside you will quickly forget the distress that surrounds it. The town itself is extremely photogenic as there is such a stark contrast between old and new, historic and hopeful, bleak and colorful. As I took a photo of a mural behind a tattered basketball hoop, a local kid came up and asked if I was taking pictures so it would be repaired. Could this be a sign that the youth of the town see the revitalization, while slow and tough that is occurring around them or could this be a sign of the future of the town, with the next generation bringing it to its former glory.

Please visit the links below for further reading:

Braddock

Braddock Redux

Braddocks Battlefield

Braddock Guided Tour

New York Times article - John Fetterman - "Mayor of Rust"

Mayor John Fetterman on the Colbert Report

The Brew Gentleman Brewing Company