The Furnace Group - Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Elverson, Pennsylvania (Historic Structure Report)

Hopewell Furnace is a charcoal- fueled, cold- blast furnace that was originally constructed by Ironmaster Mark Bird in 1770- 71. Cast iron produced at Hopewell was molded as cannon and shot for use during the American Revolution. The furnace was also known for its stoves, the earliest surviving model dated 1772.1 Financial difficulties caused Bird and his partner to lose the furnace to a creditor in 1786, and the property passed through several owners between 1786 and 1800. Stability was finally established in 1800, when the furnace was purchased by a partnership of the Buckley and Brooke families. However, legal disputes resulted in the furnace being out of blast from 1808 to 1815, followed by extensive repairs to the works in 1816. Products of the furnace from 1800 to 1845 were pig iron, stove plates, and mixed castings. After 1845, production shifted to pig iron, plus small amounts of mixed castings. Improvements made in the 1880s included repair and rebuilding of the charcoal house and shed...