The Battle of Homestead Foundation presented a book talk event "Beyond Steel" by local author Christopher Briem. He spoke about Pittsburgh and the Economics of Transformation. This event was held at the Pump House, Homestead, Pennsylvania on June 8, 2026.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8hNBZ6DXv4&feature=youtu.be
David P. Demarest (November 9, 1931 – October 15, 2011).
One of the founding members of the Battle of Homestead Foundation, Dave tirelessly advocated for preserving this region’s immigrant culture, industrial heritage and working-class stories. He was captured by Pittsburgh’s hard-scrabble character in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He was passionate about its labor history, art, libraries and the remnants of its mills and mines.
In 1990, he co-produced a video, “Out of This Furnace: A Walking Tour of Thomas Bell’s Novel,” with filmmaker and BHF co-founder Steffi Domike. Out of This Furnace is Thomas Bell’s most compelling achievement. Its story of three generations of an immigrant Slovak family — the Dobrejcaks — still stands as a fresh and extraordinary accomplishment.