New Kensington Production Works Historic District
Also known as: New Kensington Works; Arnold Works
Why it's listed
Along the Allegheny River in New Kensington and Arnold, Pennsylvania, the district covers more than 60 acres of aluminum manufacturing buildings erected between 1899 and 1947. Most are brick or corrugated metal on steel frames, ranging from one to six stories, with flat, gable, clerestory or sawtooth roofs chosen for their production uses. The Pittsburgh Reduction Company moved its operations here in the early 1890s, after receiving land and cash incentives from the Burrell Improvement Company. The plant produced sheet, rod, wire, tubing, foil, cookware and bronze powder, and later the Kensington-Ware line of Art Deco aluminum pieces. It is regarded as the first aluminum production works of its kind in the United States and as the original Alcoa plant, where methods were developed and then passed on to other plants. The buildings also show the layout and equipment of early twentieth century aluminum manufacturing, which is why the district is listed.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for its role in aluminum manufacturing, as the first plant of its kind in the United States and the original Alcoa plant where methods were developed and transferred to other facilities. Its industrial buildings are also presented as representative of early twentieth century aluminum manufacturing architecture in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 98000397, listed May 7, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly along the Allegheny R., from Sixteenth St. to Seventh St., New Kensington |
|---|---|
| County | Westmoreland County |
| Listed | May 7, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000397 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1899-1947 |
| Architectural style | Other: no style; industrial vernacular style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The condition of the buildings is described as fair to excellent; several buildings were demolished in the late 20th century. |
| Acreage | 60 |
| Coordinates | 40.57031, -79.77119 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 98000397.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15262065
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.