Robesonia Furnace Historic District | |
Location | Furnace, S. Church and Freeman Sts. and Mountain and E. Meadow Aves., Robesonia, Pennsylvania |
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Coordinates | 40°20′34″N76°08′26″W / 40.34278°N 76.14056°W |
Area | 70 acres (28 ha) |
Architectural style | Second Empire, Georgian, Italianate |
MPS | Iron and Steel Resources of Pennsylvania MPS |
NRHP reference No. | 91001128 [1] |
Added to NRHP | September 6, 1991 |
The Robesonia Furnace Historic District, also known as the Reading Furnace and the Robesonia Iron Co. Ltd., is an historic, American iron plantation and national historic district that is located in Robesonia, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. [1]
This district encompasses thirty-five contributing buildings and two contributing sites. They include a series of one-and-one-half-story, single workers' houses that were built circa 1825, a set of stone, frame and slag block duplexes that were built circa 1845, 1890 and 1910, and bungalows that were built roughly between 1913 and 1915.
Other notable buildings are the Second Empire-style George Taylor Mansion (c. 1880), a creamery building, a shed with a cupola, a log-and-stone furnace boarding house (c. 1800), a miller's house (c. 1820), a fire station (c. 1910), a Georgian-style ironmaster's mansion that is also known as Ege Mansion (c. 1807), and an Italianate-style furnace office.
The contributing sites are the industrial remains of the Robesonia Furnace, which was established in 1794 by George Ege and then demolished in 1927 after its acquisition by Bethlehem Steel. [2]
This complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. [1]
Robesonia is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,061 at the 2010 census. Once famous for its iron furnaces, the town was founded in 1855 by Henry P. Robeson, who had acquired existing iron manufacturing operations and founded the Robesonia Iron Company in 1845. The town is now supported by large industry. Several of the largest employers include C&S Wholesale Grocers, a food distributor, Magnatech International, and Snap-On Tools. The town is also famous for its Pennsylvania German-style pottery, also sometimes called redware. The Robesonia area is served by the Conrad Weiser Area School District and Conrad Weiser High School.
Speedwell Forge Mansion, also known as Speedwell Forge Homestead, is a historic home located at Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The ironmaster's mansion was built about 1760, and is a 2½-story, four bay wide and two bay deep, brownstone and fieldstone dwelling in the Georgian style. It was expanded about 1795 with a Georgian/Federal style wing. Also on the property are a contributing stone summer kitchen, stone and frame workshop, stone paymaster's office c. 1795), and stone privy.
The Pine Grove Iron Works was a southcentral Pennsylvania smelting facility during the Industrial Revolution. The works is notable for remaining structures that are historical visitor attractions of Pine Grove Furnace State Park, including the furnace stack of the Pine Grove Furnace. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1977 for its significance in architecture and industry. It includes seven contributing buildings, two structures, fourteen sites, and two objects.
Etna Furnace, also known as Mount Etna Furnace, Aetna Furnace, and Aetna Iron Works, is a historic iron furnace complex and national historic district located at Catharine Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania. The district includes five contributing buildings, six contributing sites, and two contributing structures. It encompasses a community developed around an iron furnace starting in 1805. Included in the district is the four-sided stone furnace (1808), gristmill site, canal locks, site of lock keeper's house, aqueduct, two small houses, the ruins of a charcoal house (1808), the foundation of a tally house, a blacksmith shop, bank barn, foundation of a boarding house, three family tenant house, two iron master' mansions, a store and paymaster's office, Methodist / Episcopal Church (1860), and cemetery with graves dating between 1832 and 1859.
The Oak Hall Historic District is a national historic district that is located in College Township, Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Huntingdon Furnace is a national historic district and historic iron furnace and associated buildings located at Franklin Township in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It consists of seven contributing buildings and one contributing structure. They are the iron furnace, office building, the ironmaster's mansion, log worker's house, a residence, the farm manager's residence, the grist mill and the miller's house. The iron furnace was moved to this site in 1805, from its original site one mile upstream. It measures 30 feet square by 30 feet high. The ironmaster's mansion was built in 1851, and is a 2 1/2-story, "L"-shaped frame dwelling. The grist mill dates to 1808, and is a 3 1/2-story, rubble stone building measuring 50 feet by 45 feet. The furnace was in operation from 1796, until it ceased operations in the 1880s.
Barree Forge and Furnace, now known as Greene Hills Methodist Camp, is a national historic district located at Porter Township in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It consists of two contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing structure associated with a former ironworks. They are the ironmaster's mansion, furnace stack, a barn, and the site of the Barree iron forge built about 1797. The ironmaster's mansion was built in the 1830s, and is a 2 1/2-story brick house painted white. The furnace stack dates to 1864, and is a 30-foot square, coursed limestone structure. It measures between 6 and 15 feet tall. The ironworks closed in the 1880s. The property was acquired in 1963, by the United Methodist Church for use as a church camp.
The Paradise Furnace, also known as the Mary Anne Furnace, is a national historic district that is located in Trough Creek State Park in Todd Township in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.
Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District, also known as Hellem (Hellam) Forge, is a historic iron forge and national historic district located at Hellam Township in York County, Pennsylvania. The district includes four contributing buildings, one contributing site, and one contributing structure. The contributing buildings are the iron furnace, charcoal house, ruins of works' houses, ironmaster's house and furnace office, privy, forge (1800), and ruins of unknown structures. The furnace measures approximately 30 feet square at the base and 12 feet high. The ironmaster's house is a 2 1/2-story, stuccoed stone building, nine bays wide and one room deep. The Hellem (Hellam) Forge was first established in 1765.
Boiling Springs Historic District is a national historic district located at Boiling Springs, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The district includes 127 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, and 1 contributing structure associated with its role as an early iron manufacturing center and surrounding residential areas of Boiling Springs. Most of the contributing buildings date to the mid-19th century starting in 1845, with a few dated to the early period of development. The oldest buildings are a grist mill, the ironmaster's, Michael Ege, mansion (1795), and the restored Boiling Springs Tavern (1832). Other notable non-residential buildings include the former stone stables (1829) and forge building (1850s). Residential areas include notable examples of the Bungalow/craftsman, Late Victorian, and Federal styles. The contributing structure is a stone three-arched bridge (1854).
Windsor Forge Mansion, also known as Windsor Place, is a historic home and national historic district located at Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The property was once owned by the well known local Van Leer family, who owned several nearby by Iron businesses. Dr. Bernardhus Van Leer with partners were listed as owners. The district includes four contributing buildings and three contributing objects. The buildings are the Ironmaster's Mansion, stone smokehouse, stone spring house, and stone summer kitchen / servant's quarters. The three objects are pieces by noted artist and poet Blanche Nevin (1841–1925), who purchased Windsor Forge Mansion in 1899. Her grandfather Robert Jenkins (1769–1848) had previously been ironmaster and congressman. The oldest section of the Ironmaster's Mansion was built about 1742; the western section was built about 1765, and the connecting middle section about 1815. A shed roof porch was added in 1899, at which time it was generally renovated. The house is 2+1⁄2 stories and built of stone. Nevin added a studio to the house.
The Swatara Furnace is a historic iron furnace and 200-acre national historic district located along Mill Creek, a tributary of the Swatara Creek in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
The Pine Forge Mansion and Industrial Site, also known as Rutter's Mansion and the Pine Forge Iron Plantation, is an historic, American iron plantation and mansion and national historic district located in Douglass Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Dale Furnace and Forge Historic District, also known as Dale Iron Works and Mt. Chalfont Furnace, is a historic "iron plantation" and national historic district located in Washington Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The district encompasses six contributing buildings and one contributing site. They are a stone horse barn, stone and frame bank barn, ironmaster's mansion, smokehouse and wash house (1827), stone worker's house (1830), and counting house. The archaeological site includes the ruins of a worker's house, the stone furnace stack, bank iron furnace, forge foundations and race, and remnants of dam breast. The furnace remained in blast until about 1822, and the Dale Forge was in operation until 1868.
The Mary Ann Furnace Historic District, also known as Trexler's Furnace, is an historic "iron plantation" and national historic district located in Longswamp Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
The Tulpehocken Creek Historic District is a national historic district located in North Heidelberg Township, and Lower Heidelberg Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Encompassing a total of 17,000 acres, this district stretches from the Tulpehocken Creek and Mill Creek at the Berks County-Lebanon County line to the Blue March Dam between Bernville and Millardsville, and is composed of 152 contributing buildings, one contributing site, and four contributing structures which were related to the development which occurred along the upper Tulpehocken Creek from the early 18th century through the late 19th century. Historic buildings located here include early settlement period log cabins, which were built between 1723 and 1750; buildings related to the Charming Forge community, which existed between 1749 and 1895; an early 18th century cemetery and early 19th century church; buildings related to 18th and 19th century farming operations; and structures associated with the development and operation of the Union Canal.
The Butler Historic District is a national historic district which is located in Butler, Butler County, Pennsylvania.
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