Steeltown USA: Work and Memory in Youngstown (Cultureamerica)

Rating:
Summary: A Book Of A Grand City & The People Who Made America Great!
Review: What a superb book about a little known but renowned town known as Youngstown, Ohio. The text provides the history of this noble town from its founding to its growth to its impact upon the globe.

Youngstown became the center of the Steel Industry between Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chicago where it help out building the modern world. It was at one time the largest producer of Steel. The authors explain how the town attracted people from all over the earth. How it became the cradle of middle class values created by the practice of hard work, smart thinking and support of family with the opportunities produced by the establishment of the steel and related businesses.

It also depicts how Youngstown became the border town between New York and Midwest based crime families fighting over turf, gambling and other vices that affluence often attract. At one time, Youngstown was known to be an open town where anyone on the run could be protected if they knew who to pay for sanctuary without judgment of deeds. The money from Youngstown used to bet on local sports to college to pro sports actually contributed to building Las Vegas. The region was only second to gambling behind Las Vegas from 1940 to 1990.

At the same time, the book explains how this great city and region was weaken with the subsequent loss of over 50,000 steel jobs. How it had to experience the loss of such jobs, tax revenues and opportunities. Yet, the town and people persevere in the face of such losses. In the 1950's two families in the name of DiBartolo and Cafaro were the largest builders of Shopping malls in America and based in Youngstown. Today, new businesses actually set up in Youngstown's suburb of Boardman before going national just to test the market place.

What few know is Bruce Springteen wrote the lyrics to "Youngstown" based upon interviews in this book. I highly recommend you take the time to read this exquisite book written by two great authors and about a town and its people known as Youngstown, Ohio. A grand town because of its people and how they influence the world in so many ways explained in volume in this book.