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Article: Bethlehem, Pa., moving on 10 years after mills cooled.
- Article from:
- The Morning Call (Allentown, PA)
- Article date:
- November 18, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 The Morning Call. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Spencer Soper
Nov. 18--When Tom Gonda graduated from Liberty High School in 1966, Bethlehem Steel beckoned with its legacy of good-paying jobs that had supported his grandfather, two of his uncles and his father.
But unlike those before him, the third-generation steelworker lost his dream job early. Ten years ago today, when the plant went cold, Gonda walked away with hard hat in hand. It marked the end of a tradition for his family, and the death of an industrial era that defined Bethlehem for decades.
"I was mad," said Gonda, recalling his last day in the company's rail yard. "I thought they were taking my life apart. They were taking ...