Conducted by Historitecture LLC, the Bessemer study is the last in the city's Neighborhood Heritage Enhancement program which conducted 4 neighborhood context studies and one citywide Modernism study covering most of the city's built environment from 1870 to 1982. The Bessemer study delves into traditional architectural history and includes a style guide to help residents identify architectural styles from small Minnequa Town Company housing and ethnic churches, to "alley houses" and the ever-present 'house-with-commercial-(generally a bar)- attached'.
In addition to the style guide, the preservation plan will help residents and policy makers utilize the information for future preservation and general planning efforts. Beyond most traditional context studies, the Bessemer report outlines revitalization efforts that were early (1940's) and earnest and continue to this day in this neighborhood of 6,116 people (2010 Census). However the population decline has leveled off recently and organizations like the Bessemer Historical Society are using the areas rich industrial past to chart its future.
Furthermore some of the city's finest culinary destinations are located in Bessemer and it is home to friendly, neighborhood bars which function as gateways to the past. Citizens can download the study from the link below for free, or get hard bound copies from Bessemer Historical Society or Historic Pueblo Inc. for a fee. The city can always make arrangement to provide digital copies to anyone for free as well. We hope the document is useful for lifetime residents of Bessemer and newcomers alike.