Industrialization Factory Impact/Effects: New Neighbor ‘53

The film New Neighbor describes the process it took to build Fairless Steel Mill and its accompanying steelworkers' housing development, Fairless Hills, from the early stages of engineering and site selection to the construction itself and the dedication ceremonies for the finished plant two years later. Named after the Chairman and CEO of U.S. Steel, the Fairless plant was the largest mill of its kind built all at one time. The concerns of the surrounding Morrisville, Pennsylvania community on the effects of industrialization on population, such as air and water pollution, are addressed, and cooperation with school boards, hospital committees, planning commissions, etc is shown. There is very interesting footage of all the stages of the construction of steel in the 1950s, including excavation, concrete pouring, building furnaces, driving rivets, a water treatment plant, power lines, and much more. This is truly a treatise on the history of steel in America and engineering history. The human phases of development, such as architects designing the plant and residential community, and job interviews for the workers, are documented as well. Footage of the dedication ceremony shows Fairless’s wife and granddaughter christening and lighting the furnaces with their namesake, as well as Mrs. Fairless giving a dedication speech. New Neighbor is a great piece of the history of the steel industry.