In 1937, Thomas Hart Benton claimed that “all that was romantic and inspiring in the American spirit found its expression in steel.” To paint The Steel Mill, Benton fought hard to gain access to an industrial steel mill in order to witness and record firsthand experiences. A colleague arranged for Benton to visit the Bethlehem Steel plant in Sparrow’s Point, Maryland in early 1930, where the artist created detailed sketches of the industrial environment that he referenced in many later works.