Iron Soup Historical Preservation

In case you do not know about us already….

We are a Nonprofit called Iron Soup Historical Preservation Company located in Campbell Ohio and are working hard to preserve an Endangered National Historical Site called the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company Homes.

The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company (1900-1977), was the 5th largest employer in Mahoning County, Ohio and the number one employer in Campbell. Nearly 2/3 of steel in the world came from the US and Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company was its 3rd largest producer.

The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company Homes were built in 1918 to appease the workers after the devastating strike of 1916. They were the world's first fully functioning prefabricated Modern Apartments complete with indoor plumbing and electricity.

Black Monday occurred on September of 1977, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube closed its doors and the Company Homes were largely abandoned and plagued with debris, disrepair, vandalism and absentee ownership.

The homes were declared a National Historical Site in 1982 for their unique solid concrete construction and later added to the endangered list of Historical Places.

Back in 2007, former Campbell native and our Founding President, made one of the units his home. Appalled at the condition of the neighborhood, he began a one man cleanup effort that has since escalated into numerous volunteers, robust community involvement and interest.

In order to be eligible for much needed funds for emergency repairs, debris removal and restoration efforts, a Non profit called Iron Soup Historical Preservation Company (www.ironsoup.com) was formed in December of 2011 and our first tax returns were filed.

Accomplishments thus far:

Iron Soup Historical Committee Accomplishments May 2007 – 2011

1. Emergency stabilizing repairs were made
2. Three 20 yard dumpsters of debris removed from insides of 20 units
3. Debris removed from yards of 20 units including areas inside Complex owned by City of Campbell
4. Cleaned out 6 city sewers on Union and Delmar that were contributing to flooding of lower Jackson St.
5. Located 2 dirt and vegetation covered storm drain sewers that were unknown due to incomplete city plan
6. Made passable city sidewalks and curbs, on Delmar, Chambers and Union Sts.
7. Repainted 5 City One Way Signs and the Delmar Street Sign
8. Dump truck loads of unusable building materials, tires, appliances, glass, garbage etc removed from Garages on Delmar (former Company Homes Firehouse) and on Jackson St (former Company Homes Garages)
9. Reclaimed city park areas within the Complex by removing debris, dead trees and litter and mowing
10. Boarded up windows on 15 units
11. Painted outside of 10 units
12. Outside facing repaired on 10 of 20 units
13. Refaced 1 Concrete Pillar and Repaired 5
14. Plumbing installed in 5 units
15. Electric installed in 4 units
16. First stage remodeling of inside Office Complex commenced
17. Complete restoration of one continuous original clay tile roof – 660, 6.5 Lb tiles removed one by one
18. Surveillance system installed, crime watch instituted, six vagrants removed and thwarted new ones coming in
19. Installed 2 ground based Prototype Solar Street Lamps to deter crime, accidents and lower power usage

*all the above funded by ISHPC garage sales, thrift store, car washes, recycling and other various fundraisers

Iron Soup Historical Preservation Company December 2011 – 2013

1. Iron Soup Historical Preservation Company 501 (c) 3 Non Profit Formed and Board of Directors installed
2. WEP program participant through Mahoning County Job and Family services
3. Hands On Volunteer Network of the Valley Partnership Formed to recruit volunteers
4. GOOD360 Partnership formed with Home Depot resulting in excess of 5K in remodeling donations per mo.
5. ISHPC enrolled in Justgive.org to facilitate and track donations
6. ISHPC forms partnership with Techsoup.org to gain much needed software and technical products
7. Community Homes Owner Coalition (CHOC) formed
8. Received and successfully implemented YNDC Peoples Garden Grant, 2013
9. ISHPC involves Company Homes community’s children in planting 800 morning glories
10. ISHPC President is winner of Hands On Network of the Valleys’ Volunteer of the Year Award, Dec. 2012
11. Future Company Homes Museum site selected
12. ISHPC attends Power of the Arts Conference
13. Invited to speak at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labors’ Sheet and Tube worker reunion
14. ISHPC invited on the Morning Show with Jim Loboy
15. ISHPC selected site for participation in Natalya Pinchuks’ “Dreaming Youngstown” Session
16. ISHPC hosted YSU, Dr. Donna DeBlasio’s Dr. Leary and Applied History Students for annual tour
17. AmeriCorps selected ISHPC as a work site, summer of 2013
18. Remodeling of Main Office area Completed
19. 3 Historical Units brought out of Blight and into Tenancy, 4th unit to be completed and rented for Jan 2014
20. New roof is currently being installed by local contractor on the Former Company Home Garages on Jackson St.
21. Home Depot Fencing installed in front of Rental Units on Delmar Ave.
22. Home Depot donated doors, windows, flooring, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and lighting installed in units.

Please consider donating to Iron Soup Historical through
Just Give Organization http://www.justgive.org/nonprofits/donate.jsp?ein=27-4034693