Hopewell Furnace

https://www.nps.gov/hofu/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hopewell_Furnace_National_Historic_Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania, is an example of an American 19th century rural "iron plantation". The buildings include a blast furnace, the ironmaster's house and auxiliary structures including a blacksmith's shop, a company store and several worker's houses. Today, Hopewell Furnace consists of 14 restored structures, 52 features on the List of Classified Structures, and a total of 848 mostly wooded acres. Hopewell Furnace showcases an early American landscape of industrial operations from 1771-1883, Hopewell and other "iron plantations" laid the foundation for the transformation of the United States into an industrial giant for the time. The park's 848 acres and historic structures illustrate the business, technology and lifestyle of our growing nation. On PA Route 345, 5 miles South of Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. 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. GPS Coodinates: Latatude: 40.20667, Longitude: -75.767660 From US Route 422 onto PA Route 345 South and travel 6.6 miles until you reach the park entrance. PA Turnpike (I-76) East to exit 298 (Morgantown). Turn onto PA Route 10 South and travel 1 mile to PA Route 23. Turn left onto Route 23 East and travel 5.3 miles to PA Route 345. Turn left onto Route 345 North and travel 4 miles to the park entrance. ADA parking is located approximately .5 miles south of the park's main entrance off Route 345. Historical Rendering of Hopewell Furnace in Operation, 1840 Artists' Illustaration of Hopewell Furnace in operation circa 1840. Overview of the Hopewell Furnace "iron plantation" community in operation during its prime. Hopewell Furnace's Boarding House Front of Hopewell Furnace's Boarding House Hopewell Furnace's Boarding House housed single men or those living away from their families, who came to work at the furnace. Blacksmith Shop & Cast House Side view of blacksmith shop with cast house behind it. The Cast House was the industrial center of the ironworks. It is were iron ore was smelted into iron metal and products. The smaller blacksmith shop formed iron metal into all kinds of necessary tools and goods used in everyday life. Hopewell Stove Side view of Hopewell Stove in front of wagon running gear. The most notable manufactured product Hopewell Furnace made was its stoves. They were produced by the thousands at Hopewell and other like furnaces in the early 19th century and were transported for sale by horse and wagon. Charcoal Pile Demonstration charcoal pile smoldering. Charcoal was the fuel used to fire Hopewell Furnace and other furnaces of its age. Thousands of bushles of charcoal were made from hardwood trees on the furnace lands and entered into the furnace to keep it "in blast." NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Pennsylvania Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. [Site Under Development] historic buildings Morale, Welfare and Recreation in WWII National Parks Wartime NPS Director Newton Drury wrote 'In wartime, the best function of these areas is to prove a place to which members of the armed forces and civilians may retire to restore shattered nerves and to recuperate physically and mentally for the war tasks still ahead of them.' During World War II, parks across the United States supported the morale of troops and sought to become places of healing for those returning from war. B&W; soldiers post in front of large tree Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail e-Newsletter Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, WARO quarterly e-newsletter 2020 Weather In Review: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site 2020 was very warm and wet in southeastern Pennsylvania. In all, it was the 3rd warmest and 22nd wettest year since 1895 at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Hopewell Furnace Cast House on a sunny day Archeology of African American Landscapes at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site This project began in 2019 and will continue into 2021, and encompasses an archeological and historic investigation into multiple sites at Hopewell Furnace National Historical Site. Our work seeks to identify, document, and analyze artifacts, features, and other archeological evidence that can tell us about the lives of African Americans at Hopewell Furnace in the past. Overview of Excavation at Woodlot site in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Brood X Periodical Cicadas FAQ Learn about the Brood X periodical cicadas that emerged in 2021 throughout the Mid-Atlantic U.S. A perched periodical cicada with red eyes and orange wings An introduction to the benthic macroinvertebrate community at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Benthic macroinvertebrates are an important part of stream ecosystems in Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. NPS scientists are studying these organisms in order to better understand and protect park natural resources. NPS writing on a clipboard next to a stream. Event Recap - Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks The National Park Service Youth Programs Division co-hosted a virtual event, “Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks” on November 10, 2021 with the National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks Program (VIP) in partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF). A diverse panel shared their stories of volunteering in parks and the impacts these experiences have had on them. Screenshot of speakers and panelists from Nov. 10 Volunteers Event 2021 Weather In Review: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site In all, 2021 was extremely warm though total precipitation was near normal. It was the 3rd warmest year every recorded at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. White house and barn in a field. Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Deer Impacts A healthy forest needs to have enough tree seedlings and saplings to regenerate the forest canopy after a disturbance. Analysis of NPS I&M and other long-term datasets makes it clear that many eastern national parks lack adequate tree regeneration due to decades of over browsing by white-tailed deer. Deer impacts Natural Resource Management Spring/Summer Internship Volunteer Student Intern (non-paid) in Natural Resource Management at Valley Forge National Historical Park with up to 2 positions available each year. two people stand in the woods smiling and holding turtles I&M Networks Support Resilient Forest Management NPS Inventory and Monitoring Networks have been tracking forest health in eastern national parks since 2006. This monitoring information can guide resilient forest management and support parks in adapting to changing conditions through the actions described below. Forest health monitoring Managing Resilient Forests. A Regional Initiative Forests cover tens of thousands of acres in eastern national parks and these critical resources face a range of interacting stressors: over-abundant white-tailed deer populations, invasive plant dominance, novel pests and pathogens, among other threats. The Resilient Forests Initiative will help parks address these issue collectively. Forest health monitoring Series: Managing Resilient Forests Initiative for Eastern National Parks Forests in the northeastern U.S. are in peril. Over-abundant deer, invasive plants, and insect pests are negatively impacting park forests, threatening to degrade the scenic vistas and forested landscapes that parks are renowned for. With regional collaboration, parks can manage these impacts and help forests be resilient. This article series explores tools available to park managers to achieve their goals. Healthy forests have many native seedlings and saplings. Josie Fernandez Born in Cuba, Josie Fernandez emigrated to the United States with her family when she was 12 years old. She became a US citizen in 1976 and was inspired to join the US Air Force. She wore two uniforms throughout her careers with the US Air Force Reserves and the National Park Service (NPS). Starting as a public affairs officer in 1993, she quickly rose to superintendent positions while continuing to serve her country. Josie Fernandez poses outside in her NPS uniform with a gold badge on her shirt. Resilient Forests Initiative - Managing Invasive Plants & Pests Park forests are threatened by invasive plants and pests. Strategically tackling invasive plants to protect park’s highest priority natural resources and planning around forest pests and pathogens are important actions in managing resilient forests. Forest Regeneration 2022 Weather in Review: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site It was quite warm at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site during 2022, and the year ultimately ranked as the 16th warmest on record. In contrast, total precipitation was near-normal for the year. Fall foliage surrounding the furnace. 2023 Weather in Review: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site had an very warm and moderately wet 2023. Ultimately, the year ranked as the 5th warmest and 42nd wettest year on record (since 1895). A large white building with wooden roof and white steeple at the top. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. At-Risk Turtles - Ongoing Research Spotlight Parks are a great place to appreciate turtles in their natural habitat. NPS is now studying at-risk land turtles in the Mid-Atlantic to better understand how to help them survive into the future. A turtle with bright orange chin and neck peers upward from a woody wet spot