Swatara Furnace

Last updated

Swatara Furnace
Swatara Furnance.jpg
USA Pennsylvania location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Nearest cityOld Forge Road east of Lebanon Reservoir, north of Suedberg, Pine Grove Township, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°32′35″N76°29′27″W / 40.54306°N 76.49083°W / 40.54306; -76.49083
Area20 acres (8.1 ha)
Built1830
Architectural styleIron furnace
MPS Iron and Steel Resources of Pennsylvania MPS
NRHP reference No. 91001140 [1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 6, 1991

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. [2] [3] [4] [5]

Contents

The first charcoal furnace to be erected in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, [6] the Swatara Furnace and its related buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. [1]

History

The Swatara Furnace [7] [8] and ironmaster's mansion, the first two of the structures to be erected along Mill Creek and which now make up part of the Swatara Furnace Historic District, were built circa 1830, creating an "iron plantation," which was typical of the furnace-ironmaster home complexes erected across eastern and central Pennsylvania during the early to mid-nineteenth century. The furnace, which was established sometime around 1830 by Dr. George N. Eckert, a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Simeon Guilford, [9] [10] was "a significant regional furnace from 1830 until its demise c. 1860," according to a 1991 report by Diane B. Reed, a historic preservation specialist with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC). A short time later, it was "converted to a forge and foundry where once famous Swatara stoves were cast and finished." [11] According to J. H. Beers' Biographical Annals of Lebanon County, [12] "Simeon Guilford … was for many years prominently identified with the iron business of Pennsylvania, and won public approval as a skilled and reliable civil engineer." Employed in that capacity prior to 1823 during the construction of the Erie Canal, he subsequently secured work as the principal assistant to the Union Canal's chief engineer, Canvas White. Shortly thereafter, Guilford was employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, charged with surveying the route of the canal which ran from Clark's Ferry on the Susquehanna River to Northumberland. It was also during this period (between 1825 and 1832) that Guilford "discovered the celebrated Chestnut Hill iron ore, on the Greider farm, near Columbia, Pa., which he owned for some years," according to Beers' Annals, as well as "three other fine deposits of hematite ore, in Lebanon County." Partnering with Eckert from 1830 to 1831, Guilford then "erected in the Swatara Valley, in Schuylkill County, the 'Swatara Furnace' for the manufacture of iron by charcoal, and here pig iron and such castings as stoves, water pipes, etc., were produced in large quantities, this establishment remaining in operation for twenty years."

Per Richard C. Taylor, president of the board of directors of the Dauphin and Susquehanna Coal Company in his 1840 reports "on the Coal Lands, Mines and Improvements" of that company, "the Swatara furnace, of Messrs. Guilford & Eckert" was "used with the hot blast" and produced "about twelve hundred tons of iron annually." The ore was "partly brown haematite from Chestnut Hill near Columbia, brought seventy miles, and partly from near Lebanon, about thirty-two miles." [13]

Production at the furnace ceased in 1853, ending both the partnership between Guilford and Eckert and roughly two decades of furnace operation. [12]

Listing on the National Register of Historic Places

PHMC historic preservation specialist Diane Reed was the individual who prepared the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for this district; she submitted it to the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior on March 21, 1991. [11] The Swatara Furnace Historic District was then officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in July 1992. At the time the register listing was announced, newspapers also reported that members of the Pine Grove Historical Society and Pennsylvania Game Commission were working together "to reopen the park and maintain the furnace" as part of regional preservation efforts to preserve the historic structures located along Mill Creek. [1] [14]

Notable structures

The four contributing buildings of the Swatara Furnace Historic District are located along both sides of Mill Creek, and include: the furnace (1830), stone dam breast (c. 1850), ironmaster's mansion (c. 1830, c. 1860, c. 1881, and c. 1969), barn (c. 1860), stone foreman's house (c. 1830), and stone worker's double house (c. 1830). The furnace, which was built in 1830 roughly 150 feet south of Mill Creek, was constructed of limestone, and measures 29 feet, 7 inches, wide, 29 feet, 8 inches, deep, and 22 feet high. [11]

The original section of the ironmaster's mansion, which was built circa 1830 (around the same time as the furnace), was a 2-1/2 story stone structure which was "two bays wide … with six over six windows." The home's 3-1/2 story eastern section, which was subsequently added circa 1860, was "three bays wide, and four bays deep, forming an ell … with six over six windows and with shutters." A frame construction which added 2-1/2 stories to the home's north side was likely built at roughly the same time (c. 1860), according to PHMC historic preservation specialist Diane Reed. [11]

The stone dam breast, which was described on the district planning committee's application for National Register placement as "one of the most unusual features of the historic district," is a "stone battered-wall dam breast" which was built "to replace an earlier earthen dam which was apparently washed out during one of the periodic floods on the creek." Mostly destroyed by a flood which occurred sometime around 1860, "a substantial portion of the dam breast still remains on the northwest bank of the creek." [11]

The two non-contributing buildings in this district are a single pen, one-story log cabin, which was built circa 1933, and the water control house, a brick structure which was erected in 1960 and was still in use by the City of Lebanon's water department at the time of the district's 1991 placement on the National Register. [11]

Later changes to the property and existing structures

The ironmaster's mansion was altered further, following the property's 1881 purchase by Mahlon Boyer, who wrapped a porch-veranda around the home's eastern, southern and western sides. The rear of the original 1830 building was then expanded in 1969 with the addition of a one-story laundry room with flat roof. By 1991 when planners were applying for historic district status with the National Register, the home was being operated as a bed and breakfast. [11] The ironmaster’s mansion was later owned by the Lebanon City Authority until it was sold at auction [15] to Tyler Bouldin [16] in October 2020. Following the sale, the restoration of the mansion was featured in a series of videos on social media under the name The Forge House [17] . As of 2023, the mansion is a private residence. [18]

In 2016, the Lebanon City Authority, Swatara State Parks, Pine Grove Historical Society, Friends of Memorial Lake, Oak Grove Sportsmen's Association, Old Forge Fishing Club, and Pennsylvania Game Commission joined together to launch a preservation initiative to protect and restore the historic Swatara Forge. [19] [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania</span> County in Pennsylvania, United States

Schuylkill County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in the heart of Pennsylvania's Coal Region and is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 143,049. The county seat is Pottsville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania</span> Borough in Pennsylvania, United States

Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the borough population was 2,054.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pottsville, Pennsylvania</span> City in Pennsylvania, United States

Pottsville is the county seat of Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 13,346 at the 2020 census, and is the principal city of the Pottsville, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city lies along the west bank of the Schuylkill River, 52 miles (84 km) south of Wilkes-Barre. It is located in Pennsylvania's Coal Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swatara Creek</span> River

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union Canal (Pennsylvania)</span> United States historic place

The Union Canal was a towpath canal that existed in southeastern Pennsylvania in the United States during the 19th century. First proposed in 1690 to connect Philadelphia with the Susquehanna River, it ran approximately 82 mi from Middletown on the Susquehanna below Harrisburg to Reading on the Schuylkill River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Speedwell Forge</span> United States historic place

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pine Grove Furnace State Park</span>

Pine Grove Furnace State Park is a protected Pennsylvania area that includes Laurel and Fuller Lakes in Cooke Township of Cumberland County. The Park accommodates various outdoor recreation activities, protects the remains of the Pine Grove Iron Works (1764), and was the site of Laurel Forge (1830), Pine Grove Park (1880s), and a brick plant (1892). The Park is 8 miles (13 km) from exit 37 of Interstate 81 on Pennsylvania Route 233.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cornwall Iron Furnace</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

Cornwall Iron Furnace is a designated National Historic Landmark that is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Cornwall, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The furnace was a leading Pennsylvania iron producer from 1742 until it was shut down in 1883. The furnaces, support buildings and surrounding community have been preserved as a historical site and museum, providing a glimpse into Lebanon County's industrial past. The site is the only intact charcoal-burning iron blast furnace in its original plantation in the western hemisphere. Established by Peter Grubb in 1742, Cornwall Furnace was operated during the Revolution by his sons Curtis and Peter Jr. who were major arms providers to George Washington. Robert Coleman acquired Cornwall Furnace after the Revolution and became Pennsylvania's first millionaire. Ownership of the furnace and its surroundings was transferred to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1932.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Hope Estate</span> National Register of Historic Places-listed property

Mount Hope Estate is a National Register of Historic Places-listed property in Rapho and Penn Townships, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The original estate was the center of operations of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty during the 19th century and included over 2,500 acres (1,000 ha), a charcoal iron furnace, a grist mill, housing for employees and tenants, plus supporting structures such as a post office, a general store, a railroad station, a school and a church. The existing mansion and grounds remain from what was once a thriving industrial headquarters complex and small village.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Bates Grubb</span>

Henry Bates Grubb was a third-generation member of the Grubb Family Iron Dynasty, the founder of the family's enterprises headquartered at Mount Hope near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and perhaps the family's first "true" ironmaster. He was the son and heir of Peter Grubb, Jr. who, with his brother Curtis, had owned and operated the Cornwall ironworks founded by their father Peter Grubb in 1737. Henry and his heirs rebuilt the family business after most of the original Peter Grubb holdings were gradually acquired by Robert Coleman between 1783 and 1802. The Grubbs and Colemans were among the largest iron producers in Pennsylvania through the mid-19th century.

The Grubb Family Iron Dynasty was a succession of iron manufacturing enterprises owned and operated by Grubb family members for more than 165 years. Collectively, they were Pennsylvania's leading iron manufacturer between 1840 and 1870.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warwick Furnace Farms</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

The Warwick Furnace Farms is a historic district that is located in northern Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States that includes the ruins of an early iron furnace that was owned by Anna Rutter Nutt, widow of Samuel Nutt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barree Forge and Furnace</span> United States historic place

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Windsor Forge Mansion</span> Historic house in Pennsylvania, United States

Windsor Forge Mansion, also known as Windsor Place, is an historic, American home and national historic district located in Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dale Furnace and Forge Historic District</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robesonia Furnace Historic District</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Reading Furnace Historic District</span> Historic district in Pennsylvania, United States

The Reading Furnace Historic District is a national historic district that is located in Warwick Township and East Nantmeal Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Suedberg is an unincorporated community in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Rutter</span> Colonial American ironmaster and abolitionist (1660–1730)

Thomas Rutter was an American ironmaster and abolitionist who constructed the first blast furnace and the first iron forge in the Province of Pennsylvania. Now known as Pine Forge Mansion and Industrial Site, the location of Rutter's mansion and iron plantation was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The site has been the campus of Pine Forge Academy since 1945.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ↑ Wheary, Rob. "Effort Underway to Restore Swatara Furnace." Valley View, Pennsylvania: The Citizen-Standard, May 26, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Swatara Furnace," in "PENNSYLVANIA - Schuylkill County - Historic Districts." Washington, D.C.: National Register of Historic Places, retrieved online August 18, 2019.
  4. ↑ Biographical Annals of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Representative Citizens and of the Early Settled Families , pp. 37-38. Chicago, Illinois: J. H. Beers & Co., 1904.
  5. ↑ Swatara Furnace, in "Evening Chat." Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Telegraph, March 11, 1914, p. 6.
  6. ↑ "The First Charcoal Furnace in Schuylkill County," in Schuylkill Heritage: A Newsletter of the Schuylkill County Historical Society, Vol. 13, No. 2, pp. 1-2. Pottsville, Pennsylvania: Schuylkill County Historical Society, March–April 2018.
  7. ↑ Swank, James Moore. History of the Manufacture of Iron in All Ages, and Particularly in the United States from Colonial Times Until 1891 , p. 195. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The American Iron and Steel Association, 1892.
  8. ↑ Swatara Furnace, in "Pennsylvania Iron and Steel Sites to Visit Today." Coatesville, Pennsylvania: The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum, retrieved online August 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Death of Simeon Guilford." Lebanon, Pennsylvania: Lebanon Semi-Weekly News, February 18, 1895, p. 1.
  10. ↑ Grittinger, H. C. "The Dudley Furnace," in "The Iron Industries of Lebanon County," in Papers and Addresses of the Lebanon County Historical Society, Vol. III, p. 19. Lebanon, Pennsylvania: Lebanon County Historical Society, 1905-1906.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "National Historic Landmarks & National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania" (Searchable database). CRGIS: Cultural Resources Geographic Information System.Note: This includes Diane B. Reed (March 1991). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Swatara Furnace" (PDF). Retrieved June 2, 2012.
  12. 1 2 Biographical Annals of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania: Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Representative Citizens and of the Early Settled Families, p. 36, J. H. Beers & Co., 1904.
  13. ↑ Taylor, Richard C. Two Reports: On the Coal Lands, Mines and Improvements of the Dauphin and Susquehanna Coal Company, and of the Geological Examinations, Present Condition and Prospects of the Stony Creek Coal Estate , pp. 19, 34. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: E.G. Dorsey, Printer, 1840.
  14. ↑ "Swatara Furnace Makes List in Register." Pottsville, Pennsylvania: Pottsville Republican, July 30, 1992.
  15. ↑ "Absolute Real Estate Auction - Historic Ironmaster Mansion with Barn on (+/-) 5 Acres". www.beringrealestate.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  16. ↑ Hart, Jordan. "I used AI to remodel a fixer-upper house my wife and I bought. It potentially saved us thousands of dollars". Business Insider. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  17. ↑ Brown, Shyla. "Forging New Memories". Cardinal Chronicle. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  18. ↑ Brown, Shyla. "Forging New Memories". Cardinal Chronicle. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  19. ↑ Wheary, "Effort Underway to Restore Swatara Furnace, The Citizen-Standard.
  20. ↑ Terwilliger, Vicki. "Crews cut down sycamore to aid preservation of Swatara Furnace." Pottsville, Pennsylvania: Republican-Herald, May 21, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.