On Monday, September 19, 1977 the Campbell Works of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company notified its employees that it would be shutting down. Soon after several other steel companies and branches also closed their doors. This ushered in a period of economic downturn in the Mahoning Valley from which it has never fully recovered, leading to the eventual label "The Rust Belt."
During the earlier 20th century, Youngstown area became heavily industrialized with the founding of US Steel in 1901 and Sheet and Tube in the 1920's. The well-paying jobs trickled down substantially, supporting the economy through stores. restaurants, and services, as well as the automobile sector.
After Black Monday, the standard of living dropped and the population began feeling forced out of the area. People no longer could afford to have a service cut their lawns or to buy a new car or go out to eat often, so jobs in those areas lessened as well.
http://wkbn.com/2017/09/19/wkbn-archives-chronicle-youngstowns-struggles-after-black-monday/
http://www.vindy.com/news/2017/sep/19/almost-unbelievable/?mobile
This famous photo of the eventual demolition of the blast furnaces is immortalized as a mural on the wall of the Youngstown Steel Museum.
http://wkbn.com/2017/04/27/end-of-steel-in-youngstown-blast-furnaces-came-down-35-years-ago/
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