About this collection

The Lukens Steel Company was a medium-sized, non-integrated steel company and one of the top three producers of steel plates in the nation. Lukens operated continuously at its Coatesville, Pennsylvania site since 1810. It was controlled by members of the Pennock, Lukens and Huston families in direct succession for over 180 years; the company is noted for being the first industrial company in the United States led by a woman, Rebecca Lukens (1794-1854).

The digital collection includes selections from the Lukens Steel Company photographs (Accession 1972.360) collection; woodcuts showing the early history of the mill, interior and exterior views of factory buildings, various depictions of machinery, employees both at work and leisure, floods in 1955 and 1973, and twentieth-century aerial views of the Coatesville plant. Other items depict the owning families, company anniversary celebrations, and philanthropic activities supported by Charles Lukens Huston. The collection has not been digitized in its entirety.

Image: Multiple flame cutting. Click here to view in the collection.