Sloss Furnaces Entrance Gets a Norfolk Southern Grant

Published: November 12, 2026

On November 10, 2026, Norfolk Southern said it has awarded a $146,460 Thriving Communities grant to the Sloss Furnaces Foundation. The money is for the 32nd Street Streetscape, the first phase of a broader effort at the 32-acre Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham. The grant is meant to make the historic site more welcoming to residents and visitors, and to honor the rail and steel industries that helped build the city.

Sloss Furnaces/NS photo.

A new gate on 32nd Street

Norfolk Southern said the grant will help pay for a new gateway, fencing, walkways, and landscaping at the main entrance. The 32nd Street project is meant to change how visitors enter and find their way through the site, and to give the surrounding neighborhood more reason to use it. The company said the design will highlight the connection between the site, the railroads of Birmingham, and the industrial history of the city. It expects more visits from nearby neighborhoods and more activity at surrounding businesses.

ABC 33/40, in a report posted Tuesday, November 10, at 12:04 p.m., carried a sentence from the foundation that is not in the company release. “With active tracks bordering Sloss on three sides, the entrance project will incorporate design elements that help visitors understand the relationship between the railroad and the city,” the foundation said.

Iron since 1882

Norfolk Southern said Sloss Furnaces began producing iron in 1882 and helped make Birmingham a major industrial center. The landmark now offers museum experiences, educational programming, metal arts, and community events. The company said the site draws more than 65,000 visitors a year.

“Sloss Furnaces connects us to the city’s industrial roots and celebrates the innovation and resilience of Alabama. It is a living reminder of how rail and steel built Birmingham and how the industry continues to shape and support communities today,” said Kristin Wong, director of Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact. “We are proud that our investment will create a welcoming environment to ensure more people connect with that history and keep that story alive for the next generation.”

“We are deeply grateful to Norfolk Southern for recognizing the important role Sloss Furnaces plays in Birmingham’s future and supporting it through this Thriving Communities Grant. By creating a more welcoming entrance, this grant will help launch our broader vision for Sloss as a place where people come together to learn, create, explore and connect,” said David Arias, executive director of Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark.

Through the Thriving Communities Grant Program, Norfolk Southern said, the company supports projects that strengthen communities along its network. The Sloss grant, in that account, preserves a piece of the history of Birmingham and supports a more welcoming place for education, recreation, and community life.

Sources

Norfolk Southern, “Preserving Birmingham’s industrial past, building a more welcoming future,” Story Yard, November 10, 2026, norfolksouthern.com/en/newsroom/story-yard/preserving-birmingham-s-industrial-past--building-a-more-welcoming-future. A $146,460 Thriving Communities grant to the Sloss Furnaces Foundation for the 32nd Street Streetscape, the first phase of a broader effort. The 32-acre landmark receives a new gateway, fencing, walkways, and landscaping. Design elements highlight the connection to the railroads of Birmingham and its industrial history. Iron production began in 1882. More than 65,000 visitors a year. Museum experiences, educational programming, metal arts, and community events. Kristin Wong, director of Norfolk Southern Foundation & Community Impact, and David Arias, executive director, are quoted above. The Thriving Communities Grant Program supports projects across the network.
ABC 33/40, “Norfolk Southern awards $146,460 grant for Sloss Furnaces entrance project,” Tuesday, November 10, 2026, 12:04 p.m., abc3340.com/news/local/norfolk-southern-awards-146460-grant-for-sloss-furnaces-entrance-project. Same dollar amount, foundation, 32nd Street Streetscape, first phase, 32-acre site, and the same list of entrance work. The foundation sentence about active tracks on three sides is quoted above. The station credits the photograph to Sloss Furnaces. That file was not saved for this draft.

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Sloss Furnaces Entrance Gets a Norfolk Southern Grant

A new gate on 32nd Street

Iron since 1882

Related reading on American-Rails.com

Sources