Author’s third book published on Weirton Steel | News, sports, jobs

Tom Zielinsky

WEIRTON – Weirton resident Tom Zielinsky has completed his third and final book about Weirton Steel, having now written three books, all titled “The Final Days of Weirton Steel.”

Zielinsky’s first book was published in 2010 and covered the mill’s last five years before its bankruptcy.

An investigation was carried out into what exactly happened behind closed doors.

“The book was a joyful and blessed experience to write,” he said, noting that his first attempt at writing it was in 2008.

He explained that he had no experience writing a book.

“I learned the hard way,” he said. “It took almost two years to finish.”

After the Oxygen Base Plant implosion in 2019, Zielinsky had indicated that he took before and after photos of the mill because he knew that “the history of the mill would be lost if someone did not document the events.”

“Changes happened quickly – changes in ownership, then in the landscape. I knew how important it was to document everything for historical reasons,” he continued.

“With the documentation and photos in hand and a little more experience in publishing, I decided to republish my first book,” he explained. “I have included the new information as a second edition.”

Zielinsky’s book was printed by another publisher and published in 2021.

It covered all the events at the steelworks as well as its demolition, which occurred when Cleveland Cliffs took over, he explained.

His new book contains his first two works as well as the final chapter of the mill’s history.

Color photographs of the remains of the various mill buildings and the downtown area are included.

One section describes the events surrounding the creation of the ESOP and another reveals future events for the city.

Images show the construction of the Form Energy battery plant and information reports on the new transformer initiative in the Half Moon area of ​​Weirton, Zielinsky said.

“The book contains the complete history of events from 1909 to 2024,” he said. “The town of Weirton has a new future waiting to be released,” he concluded. “It would be interesting to see what this city looks like in 10 to 20 years.”

Zielinsky’s books are in limited supply and can be purchased in the gift shop at historic Fort Steuben.

Books can also be purchased at the Weirton Area Museum and Cultural Center on Saturdays for $15.