Welding & Metal Fabrication: History

Welding, which is one of the newer metalworking trades, can trace its historic development back to ancient times. The earliest example comes from the Bronze Age. Small gold circular boxes were made apparently by pressure welding lap joints together. It is estimated that these boxes were made more than 2,000 years ago and are presently on exhibit at the National Museum in Dublin, Ireland.

This site has links to A History of Welding: From Hepheastus to Apollo and A History of Brazing: 6,000 Years of Metal Craftsmanship. Each section has a timeline, films, images, phrases, biographies, obituaries, quotes, etymology, patents, references, and links to other resources.

The mission of the IEEE History Committee is to further the preservation, research, and dissemination of information about the history of electrical science and technology, and in particular the technological and organizational history of IEEE, its members, and their professions, in order to increase awareness and understanding of the role of engineering and technology in the improvement of the quality of life for people throughout the world.

The Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, comprised of eight counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, encompasses the greater Pittsburgh area and the Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio river valleys. For more than a century, this area was known as the "Steel Making Capital of the World" and the dynamic and powerful story of Big Steel is preeminent in the region's artifacts, buildings, historic communities, industrial sites, and the living cultural traditions of its people. Created by an Act of Congress and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1996, the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is managed by the non-profit Steel Industry Heritage Corporation (SIHC) in partnership with the National Park Service and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. SIHC works with communities throughout the region to identify, conserve, promote and interpret the cultural, historic, recreational and other resources associated with steel and steel-related industries. The goal of the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is to use these resources to encourage community revitalization through cultural tourism, historic preservation, natural and recreational resource conservation, cultural and educational programs and related economic development. Since its inception, Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area has undertaken projects in the region using public and private funds for the National Heritage Area.

Welding.com (from the Middle Ages to the present)