Sloss Furnaces National Historical Landmark, Birmingham, AL

Sloss Furnaces was a most important business in Birmingham, Alabama. It produced iron for over 90 years, starting in 1882. To recognize the importance of this company Alabama created a National Historic Landmark out of the building and business. The web of pipes and tall smokestacks show the industrial nature of the south and the USA. After the Civil War there were many men trying to move into Jones Valley to dig for its rich minerals. There were many seams of iron that stretched through Red Mountain. One individual, Colonel James Withers Sloss came from the north mining iron and selling Birmingham its first high grade coking coal. In the first years he was able to sell 24,000 tons of iron due to the ten boilers on site.

Visitors who come to Birmingham, Alabama will find the national historic landmark is open Tuesday through Saturday 10am to 4pm. Sunday the Sloss Furnaces is open 12 pm to 4pm. The building is not open on Mondays. During the operating hours tours of the facility are possible. Visitors will be given a video that explains the history of the place, as well as its influence on the city. Then a walking tour will commence for visitors to see the Apron of the Furnace, Stock Trestle, and Underground Railroad Line. A reservation is needed for a guided tour. For those who do not want the guided tour they can go on a self guided tour or with a cell phone tour.

Guided tours are offered on specific dates, and can fill up quickly. The facility recommends making reservations two weeks in advance. The guided tour will take one hour. The guided tour has a cost ranging from $35 to over $280 depending on the number of individuals in your party. The guided tours are mostly for school groups or other very large groups. These tours are $15 per person, and a deposit is due at the time of the reservation. The facility is small enough that one can take a tour of Sloss and move on to Vulcan Park, which is located in the same area.

Sloss Furnaces offers more than the tours. They have education and metal arts programs. The education programs are classes for those interested in iron works and the facility. There are classes for elementary, middle, high school, college, and continuing education courses. They also have an outreach program set up at the facility. The Metal Arts are for the artists. Anyone who is interested in working with iron for the purpose of art can learn how to weld, and style their works of art. Students will also learn the history behind metal art and the Sloss facility.

When visitors arrive at Sloss they will have an opportunity to visit the museum store. The store provides a number of different souvenirs for visitors to remember their visit by. The hours of the museum store are the same as the rest of the museum.