Many years ago, when I was in Boy Scouts with Troop 65 out of Memorial Baptist Church in Weirton, we had a great local history presentation by the late Chuck Cronin.

Cronin gave a wonderful talk on Weirton Steel during World War II. In addition to the presentation, he brought in a 16 mm reel-to-reel projector and played a film called “Assignment Accomplished,” which showed the production of the 8-inch howitzer shells produced by Weirton Steel in 1944 and 1945. Little did I know at that time this event would spark a love for Weirton Steel history and World War II history that still burns in me today.

If you have never seen the film, you need to, because it shows how Weirton Steel produced these shells and came to the aid of our country in its time of need. What’s most incredible about the film is that it is in color. It shows the way the shells were made from the open-hearth furnace to the finished shell.

Weirton Steel made more than 70,000 of these shells a month and they were very proud of this record, to be sure. Ted Husing, a well-known CBS sports announcer, was the narrator for the film. It is available to watch on YouTube, but one can visit the Weirton Museum and see it on DVD.

But with that said, there is something special about watching it on an old projector that makes history come alive.

Years later, I would do that presentation on my own. I had access to the DVD but the old film reel was a special treat to bring to presentations because folks weren’t used to seeing the film on a reel-to-reel projector.

We are lucky here in our area to have a wonderful history recorded on film. The Weirton Museum has a multitude of films made from the 1940s up to today, that document our history. As I mentioned, my favorite is “Assignment Accomplished,” but there are so many others that are fantastic.

In 1953, Weirton Steel produced a film called “Weirton USA.” According to the Weirton Steel Employees Bulletin, the film was inspired by another film made by the company and produced by RKO-Pathe in 1952 called “Conquest of Ungava,” or as it is also known, “Free Enterprise Goes North.” “Conquest” is an interesting film because it documents the development of an iron ore range in Labrador, Canada, which National Steel was investing in. Bulletin staff made large contributions to the film, and it officially premiered in Weirton at the Cove Theater. Drawing on the success of “Conquest,” Weirton Steel asked RKO-Pathe to begin work on “Weirton USA.”

The film debuted in July 1953 at the Community Center during Weirton’s “Americanism Week” that ran from June 28 through July 4. On July 1, the film debuted in the dining room of the center and played every day until the Fourth of July. From there, the 28-minute film reportedly went on tour from coast to coast and overseas.

The film opens with E.T. Weir at Williams Country Club overlooking the tin mill, waxing nostalgic about the history and success of the mill and community. Then it shows an excerpt from the 1952 film “Conquest of Ungava.” What I love about “Weirton USA” is that it shows our city as it was in 1953. There is footage from the opening night of “Conquest” showing the front of the Cove Theater with its marquee.

According to the Bulletin and the script of the “Weirton USA” film, Red Donley from WSTV-TV handled the microphone interviewing VIPs. There were searchlights and a parade by the 93-piece Weir High School band as it moved down Main Street. The script goes on from the perspective of Weir, “Yet, from his vantage point, Ernest Weir sees more than projects and planning. He sees a city — a city of nearly 30,000 people … a city that has won the right to be called Freedom Town, U.S.A. He sees a well governed city. Here, the City Council meets with Mayor Tom Millsop, twice elected without campaigning, and city manager Dan Sweaney … He sees a patriotic city. More than 50 percent of the company’s employees are veterans; 5,000 names are on its World War II honor roll; 120 of them carry gold stars. He sees an attractive city — a city where 95 percent of the people own their own homes. He sees a building city … building a new $4 million hospital with the most modern facilities.”

The film goes on to describe the “ultra-modern” community center and all the facilities, clubs and amenities contained therein. The inside of the center and much of the place still looks the same with the exception of the youth center, which seemed like a neat place at one time. Included in the film is footage of churches; neighborhoods; schools, including the old Weir High, Cove School and Dunbar; the Marland Heights pool; country clubs, including Williams and Pleasant Valley; and a scene of my great-grandfather and my grandfather laying brick at a new house site. The film is available on YouTube, but you can visit the museum to see it on DVD, as well.

By 1953, Weirton Steel had featured in six major films and a few others made in-house: “Weirton U.S.A.;” “Tinplate,” which showed how tinplate was made in Weirton; “West Virginia and its Natural Resources;” “This is National Steel;” “Assignment Accomplished” and “Conquest of Ungave.” They also produced in house, a film called “Men of Action” made in 1954, which premiered on WSTV-TV.

This film talks about the role of engineers in area business. In 1962, Weirton Steel produced a color film called “Men of Tomorrow,” describing the American Legion’s West Virginia Boys State held each year at Jackson’s Mills. When I saw this film for the first time as an alumnus of the camp, I was struck by how little the program had changed since the early 1960s. I guess you don’t mess with a good thing. In 1984, Weirton Steel made a film called “On their Own Again,” describing the ESOP. Made now more than 40 years ago, it gives a wonderful look into our past.

There are so many other films made in our area that show our history too, not just those about Weirton Steel. There is a wonderful film made in 1947 about the festivities around Steubenville’s 200th anniversary that is really a time capsule of local history and certainly worth the watch.

Back across the river, there is a film made on the construction of the All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Weirton. There are a few on YouTube that show area parades and class reunions, too. Look on the Weirton Museum’s YouTube page for other films about our area, and especially look at the film about Weir High’s first 100 years.

All in all, these films today can give us a unique perspective on life in the past. Something is special about a movie compared with a photograph. The film literally can give us a moving image of our history, and to me, that is exciting and unique.

I am glad we can look back and see our local history on film. It can bring history to life.

(Zuros is the executive director of Historic Fort Steuben)