North Country At Work

Man and a woman in front of a log and stucco house. Akwesasne. Photo from the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum archives.

Ironworkers Brian Skidders (left) and Lloyd Benedict Sr. (right) on the high steel. Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. Circa 1980s. Photo from the Syracuse Post-Standard, courtesy of the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum archives.

Six Nations ironworker poses on the Burlington Sky Way Bridge. 1958. Photo by Gar Lunney. Burlington, Ontario, Canada. Photo courtesy of the Akwesasne Cultural Center Museum.

Norman Tarbell worked on the iron for 33 years, and for most of them he was traveling to and from Akwesasne every week. He said that the nomadic lifestyle built a sense of comradery among all the ironworkers.

Darryl Lazore started iron working in New York City when he was just 15 years old. Here he describes the steep learning curve he faced as a brand new worker far away from home. Photo courtesy of Darryl Lazore.

Iakonikonriiosta married an ironworker and moved to Akwesasne. Her husband traveled to work every week, so she was only able to see him on the weekends.

Iakonikonriiosta grew up in an ironworking family in Syracuse, and she was surrounded by Mohawk ironworkers throughout her childhood. She says she learned a lot from her father and uncles, all of whom worked the iron.

Workmen installing pipe in a ditch. Undated, but sometime between 1959 and 1989. Carl Atiyeh Photograph Collection, Prints Box 5 #0098, The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, NY. Carl Atiyeh (1911-1997) grew up in Glens Falls, NY. He was the son of Nicholas and Zehia Atiyeh.  He graduated from Glens Falls High School and […]

Workmen at outside construction site. Undated, but sometime between 1959 and 1989. Carl Atiyeh Photograph Collection, Prints Box 5 #0097, The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, NY. Carl Atiyeh (1911-1997) grew up in Glens Falls, NY. He was the son of Nicholas and Zehia Atiyeh.  He graduated from Glens Falls High School and the […]

Worker probing the inside of a large pipe. Undated, but sometime between 1959 and 1989. Carl Atiyeh Photograph Collection, Prints Box 5 #0044, The Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library, Glens Falls, NY. Carl Atiyeh (1911-1997) grew up in Glens Falls, NY. He was the son of Nicholas and Zehia Atiyeh.  He graduated from Glens Falls High […]