Hopewell Furnace operated between 1771 and 1883 near Elverson in Chester County. This iron foundry, which supplied some of the needs of armies fighting the Revolutionary War, used the abundant forests in the area to fuel the massive furnace needed to heat the iron to 3000 degrees. The majority of iron foundry employees were woodcutters, who replaced many of the chestnuts original to the area with oaks. 6000 acres were needed for a sustainable forest to supply a foundry like Hopewell.


The site itself is maintained by the National Park Service, and features not only the original foundry building and outhouses, but also the foundry 'community' that included everything from blacksmiths and charcoal cookers to barns for the horses that carried supplies and finished products.



The site is nestled in a valley next to French Creek State Park, and can be reached by hiking trails from the park. A modern visitor's center offers exhibits and multimedia presentations describing the history and workings of the foundry.


The centerpiece of Hopewell is the foundry building, a large white wood structure with a steeple on top. Inside is the furnace itself, surrounded by the workshops where molds were created. Items forged at Hopewell include weapons, kitchen utensils, tools, pots and pans, and stoves. Many examples of these remain on the premises.


A full-sized, 22-foot working water wheel, fed by a water bridge system from a nearby creek, powered a large bellows that pumped air into the furnace. The current wheel was restored in 2006 and is in operation.