Buns of Steel

Buns of Steel

Impact

1904 - Vulcan Completed1905 - Shipped back to Bham1906-1935 - Placed on Red Mountian and Funded by WPA1936 - Groundbreaking1939 - Dedication on Red Mountain with nine day celebration

Although the statue has had to be taken down and repaired throughout the years, it is still a big tourist site and the inspiration of numerous souvenirs.

Interesting Fact

The vulcan is the largest cast-iron statue in the world. Yes, the WORLD!

Citations

- "Vulcan Park and Museum - About Vulcan." Vulcan Park and Museum - About Vulcan. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.-"Vulcan Park ." Vulcan Park. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.-"Vulcan the Iron Man." RoadsideAmerica.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2014.

Biography

In ancient times, the vulcan was the Roman God of the Forge. A forge is a place where metal is heated then made into useful objects. So when Birmingham was founded in 1871, James A. McKnight, manager of the Alabama State Fair thought it would be a good idea for the Vulcan to represent Birmingham. Giuseppe Moretti was chosen to sculpt the iron statue. It would symbolize Birmingham's future as the steel and iron making capital of the South. The Vulvan made its debut at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. From there it was returned to Birmingham and placed on Red Mountain on top of a 123 ft. tower (1935). The park was sponsered by the Works Progress Administration (New Deal) a government that put people back to work during the Great Depression.

The Vulcan