Here visitors can explore the rambling gothic revival buildings where cannons, stoves, and pig iron were cast, and where men labored day and night to satisfy the furnaces appetite for charcoal, limestone, and iron ore. The historic scranton iron furnaces, which helped forge the industrial revolution, now could have a bustling future as the heart of a new iron district in the city. Visit historic scranton iron furnaces on your trip to scranton. There is nothing fancy, no living history or guides but the information boards did explain much of. Once the information starts flowing its like tapping a maple tree in early spring, the juice just keeps coming.
Anthracite heritage museum pennsylvania trail of history. The state, published by young americas foundation, suite 808, 11800 sunrise valley drive, reston, va 22091. Relax at a local park after a business meeting, or take your family to one of these nearby favorites. Art and history research at the scranton iron furnaces darlene millerlanning, ph. The furnace was blown in the summer of 1837 and ran probably until 1839. By the 1870s furnaces fired with bituminous coal and coke supplanted anthracite furnaces. State of pennsylvania and is located in scranton, near the steamtown national historic site.
Anthracite heritage museum and scranton iron furnaces. Anthracite coal replaced charcoal as fuel by the 1840s, leading to a more efficient iron making process and better quality iron. The scranton story foundation for economic education. Located near the steamtown national historic site, the scranton iron furnaces represent the early iron industry in the united states. Joanna furnace a privately financed group is truly doing wonderful things at this site.
In 1840, george and selden scranton, with william henry, established their iron furnaces on the banks of roaring brook in the wilderness of northeastern pennsylvania. The furnaces ranked as the second largest iron producer in the us by the 1880s, the mills producing trails for americas railroads until 1902. Hopewell furnace ran by the us parks dept, this site has an entire iron furnace village. The scranton iron furnaces were one of the earliest sites to use anthracite coal as fuel for their blast furnaces. This article is adapted from his book, entrepreneurs vs. Historic scranton furnaces eyed as heart of new iron. Iron and the old stone furnaces of western pennsylvania. Book radisson hotels in scranton pa radisson hotels. Scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the u. The remains of the blast furnaces of the lackawanna iron and coal company. The historic scranton iron furnaces roared to life june 19 for the inaugural arts on fire industrial arts fair. In the first few decades of the nineteenth century, the english dominated the worlds iron markets. In 1840, george and selden scranton, with william henry, established their iron furnaces on the.
Pennsylvania iron furnace source book index the 19th. A place to celebrate the history of the great state of pa. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you. The scranton iron furnaces are administered by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission and are actively supported. As the colonialists spread across the state, they built iron furnaces in the susquehanna region, and then farther to the west, adjoining the.
The furnaces are an integral part of our areas history, and having them as the backdrop is fantastic. Designed by architect edward langley and built in 1912, the tudor revival style home is a. The township can be reached via route 80 at exits at 37 hibernia and 35a and 35b mount hope. Located in scrantons historic nay aug park, the everhart museum has been engaging audiences with art, science, and natural history for over 110 years. Scranton iron furnaces pennsylvania historical and pa.
Pennsylvania has a long and rich history with iron production. Bonfire at the iron furnaces revels in polish culture this. The scranton iron furnaces is administered by the phmc, with the support. View all attractions near historic scranton iron furnaces on tripadvisor. Around the area west of philadelphia, the appalachian mountains possessed beds of iron ore, hardwoods, and plenty of limestone deposits. For all group leaders is the newly published anthracite heritage museum and scranton iron furnaces, a 48page book pennsylvania trail of history guide. Catlin, an early financier in the city, and his wife, helen, the home is one of scrantons architectural treasures. At farrandsville furnaces, 3,500 tons of iron was made but at such great cost owing to the impurity of the coal and the distance of the ore that further efforts to make iron with coke were abandoned. Books related to colonial iron furnaces, colonial iron mines, early metal working. Historic scranton iron furnaces 2020 all you need to.
The scranton iron furnaces, located at the nexus of cedar avenue and lackawanna avenue, represent scrantons earliest industrial history. The lhs was one of several partners in the event which featured tours of the furnaces, art demonstrations, music, food, and arts and crafts. Pennsylvania iron furnace source book is a bibliographical source for the 18th and 19th century iron works of pennsylvania. Miles of track, industrial sites and mine tunnels remain. The site has been managed by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission since. In 1847, they successfully massproduced iron t rails and later emerged as the nations third largest steel manufacturer. The public can access our grounds for pedestrian recreation. The scranton iron furnaces are remnants of the citys founding industry and of the scranton familys lackawanna steel company. The scranton iron furnaces, four massive stone blast furnace stacks built between 1848 and 1857, recall the titan lackawanna iron and steel company.
Historic scranton iron furnaces 2020 all you need to know. Her love for history stems from her first visit to scranton s historic iron furnaces as a child. Director, hope horn gallery university ofscranton figure i. Cornwall iron furnace, state historic site located in. Between 1840 and 1880 the iron industry experienced profound technological changes, including a shift in fuel from charcoal to anthracite coal and then to bituminous coal and coke. Scranton iron furnaces, 159 cedar ave, scranton, pa 2020. Anthracite, locomotives, silk, and lace soon followed. Here you see the remains of four stone blast furnaces which were built between 1848 and 1857.
See the remains of the blast furnaces of the lackawanna iron and coal company at scranton iron furnaces. Scranton history surrounds our hotel, located within walking distance of attractions like the steamtown national historic site and the scranton iron furnaces. For all group leaders is the newly published anthracite heritage museum and scranton iron furnaces, a 48page book pennsylvania trail of history guide, with text by harold aurand. Scranton iron furnaces is off i81 exit 185 at 159 cedar ave. The scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the. Scranton furnace bridging the step from small operations to a major industrial player, the scranton iron works had five furnaces at the same site.
Iron furnaces pennsylvania anthracite heritage museum. Lackawanna furnaces in scranton pa practical machinist. During this time, visitation at all sites is suspended. About scranton scranton and lackawanna county played an important part in the industrial revolutionfour anthracite blast furnaces built in the 1840s and 1850s by the scranton brothers helped supply more than 80 percent of the anthracite coal that fueled the growth of american industry. It protects the remains of four stone blast furnaces which were built between 1848 and 1857. The steamtown national historic site seeks to preserve the history of railroads in the northeast. Rockaway township is a municipality located in morris county in northwest new jersey.
The scranton iron furnaces are administered by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission and are actively supported by the anthracite heritage. The successful use of anthracite for iron making sounded the death knell for many of the small charcoal furnaces dotting the eastern seaboard. Pennsylvania is noted for several industrial mineral resources, clay being one of them. The scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the u. She is an author researcher and is the writer of a local history column for the bimonthly publication, our town, lackawanna county. Cornwall furnace preserved with a historical integrity perhaps unmatched in the. For information on guided tours, call anthracite heritage museum. Burt folsom is associate professor of history at murray state university. Stackpole books and the pennsylvania historical and museum commission.
Historic scranton iron furnaces all you need to know. Bonfire at the iron furnaces embracing polish culture. Scranton iron furnaces pennsylvania historical and. The scranton iron furnaces educates the public about the site of the lackawanna iron and coal company and its impact upon the nations industrial revolution demonstrating the relevance of industrial history in our lives. Nearby scranton iron furnaces, four stone blast furnace stacks built between 1848 and 1857 for the lackawanna iron and steel company, commemorate an industry that relied heavily on anthracite fuel and expanded as a result of it. Nayaug, or roaring brook, linked together by successive rapids and falls for many miles, emerges from the watershedding crest separating the delaware from the susquehanna, and forms the noisiest tributary of the lackawanna, which it enters at scranton, one mile below the ancient village of capoose. Prior to its establishment as pennsylvanias 67th county, the state legislature passed an act of assembly on april 17, 1878 calling for a vote of.
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