Blacksmith Shop - Hopewell Furnace

The blacksmith shop was one of the busiest and most important places in Hopewell. The skill of the blacksmith in making and repairing iron objects made him a necessary worker at Hopewell Furnace and nearly every other community in America during the 18th and 19th centuries. He shaped shoes for the horses and mules that were essential for the furnace operations. He made nails, hinges, hooks, wagon parts, tools, and repaired all the iron fixtures of the furnace's machinery.

• On the right side of the road, a squat 25-foot wide, by 20-foot deep, 2-story whitewashed stone building. The shingles of its red tile roof, have rounded front edges. In the center of the roof's peak, a small, square vent with red tiles. On the front face, just left of center, a red plank door swings out. To the right, a wide, red-trimmed window. Leaning against the right corner, a wooden-spoked wagon wheel and a short wooden barrel, bound with rusty, iron circular bands.<br /><br />There is a single, raised stone threshold, into the building. Inside, are displayed the forge, anvils, and tools. An audio program describes the role of Hopewell's resident blacksmith. As you enter, on the inside wall to the left, the audio start button is located, 2-feet from the door, 5-feet above the floor. During the summer there are often blacksmith demonstrations.<br />[End of Message]

Hopewell Furnace Cast House

The Cast House encloses the charcoal blast furnace. All of Hopewell's products were produced in this building. To the left of the furnace, moulders worked at their benches producing sand molds for stove plates and other cast products. Guttermen dug trenches and runners for iron and slag in the clay floor in front of the furnace. The furnace founder monitored the furnace and water wheel, shouting instructions up to the fillers. All of this work was done over two twelve hour sh

• In the interior of the front building, scattered on the gravel floor, are flasks from the molding process, a freight wagon, and a wheelbarrow. In the left rear corner, an opening to the massive furnace, and molding work area beyond. Also wooden benches, where workers made the molds for a variety of products, and the underside of a water wheel are located here.<br />Your listening device will alert you when you come in range of the 3 interpretive panels inside the Cast House with audio description: the art of flask casting panel, pig iron production panel, and the water wheel panel. There is also an interpretive audio program near the water wheel. On the stone wall, to the right of the water wheel, and 3-feet above the ground, just above where the picket fence meets the wall, is the start button. The voice of iron worker, Tom Care, shares his pride in the efficient operation of the water wheel and furnace.<br /><br />Wayside Panel: Pig Iron Production, Casting the pigs - Panel Description. 1 ½ minutes.<br />In the upper left, black text on a tan background reads:<br />"Pig Iron Production, Casting the pigs."<br /><br />"Molten iron flowed from the furnace's tap hole, into channels compressed in sand in this floor. The cast iron form became known as ‘pigs,' since their outline resembled a sow nursing a litter of piglets. Once cooled, pig iron was sold to forges and foundries for further processing.<br /><br />During the furnace's last 40 years of operation, ending in 1883, Hopewell mainly produced rough iron bars. Prior to this period, Hopewell profited from the sale of finished products-stove plates, hollowware, weights, and other molded items."<br />End of text.<br /><br />On the right side, a large black and white illustration. In the lower left of the sketch, an aproned "gutterman," wearing a hat, leans forward. In front of him, his long handled tool, with a hoe-like edge, directs the flow of molten iron from a central channel in the ground, into branches on either side. The 5 rows of side-by-side depressions in the ground, would produce 10 pig iron bars.<br /><br />Today, directly in front of the massive stone blast furnace, is a 20-foot length of board, flush to the ground. Jutting off to the right, at 2-foot intervals, are ten, 4-foot boards. They represent the "pigs" similar to those shown on the panel illustration.<br /><br />[End of message]

Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area

The Schuylkill River Valley National Heritage Area celebrates the Schuylkill River region for its cultural, historical and industrial significance. It was along the banks of this river and its tributaries that the American, Industrial, and Environmental Revolutions were born. From the Continental Congress to Washington's encampment at Valley Forge, the region played a key role in the American Revolution and more.

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Visitor Center - 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA 19520

• Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Visitor Center - 2 Mark Bird Lane, Elverson, PA 19520
• Your first stop should be the Hopewell Furnace NHS Visitor Center where you will find staff eager to assist with your orientation to the park. Exhibits about furnace operations and the making of iron products including the original Mark Bird 1772 stove are on display. You can shop for Hopewell Furnace NHS related items by visiting the Eastern National store, a not-for-profit cooperating association; proceeds help fund park programming. Restrooms are available at the Visitor Center as well.