Cornwall furnace preserved with a historical integrity perhaps unmatched in the. Scranton through time local and regional history books. The lhs was one of several partners in the event which featured tours of the furnaces, art demonstrations, music, food, and arts and crafts. It protects the remains of four stone blast furnaces which were built between 1848 and 1857. Burt folsom is associate professor of history at murray state university. The furnaces are an integral part of our areas history, and having them as the backdrop is fantastic. Scranton iron furnaces, 159 cedar ave, scranton, pa 2020. Anthracite heritage museum and scranton iron furnaces. 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. The furnace was blown in the summer of 1837 and ran probably until 1839. The scranton iron furnaces are administered by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission and are actively supported by the anthracite heritage.
The steamtown national historic site seeks to preserve the history of railroads in the northeast. Pennsylvania is noted for several industrial mineral resources, clay being one of them. The scranton iron furnaces are remnants of the citys founding industry and of the scranton familys lackawanna steel company. This article is adapted from his book, entrepreneurs vs. Bonfire at the iron furnaces revels in polish culture this. Pennsylvania iron furnace source book index the 19th. Historic scranton furnaces eyed as heart of new iron. 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 successful use of anthracite for iron making sounded the death knell for many of the small charcoal furnaces dotting the eastern seaboard. She is an author researcher and is the writer of a local history column for the bimonthly publication, our town, lackawanna county. See the remains of the blast furnaces of the lackawanna iron and coal company at scranton iron furnaces. The scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the u. Around the area west of philadelphia, the appalachian mountains possessed beds of iron ore, hardwoods, and plenty of limestone deposits. In the first few decades of the nineteenth century, the english dominated the worlds iron markets.
Scranton furnace bridging the step from small operations to a major industrial player, the scranton iron works had five furnaces at the same site. Director, hope horn gallery university ofscranton figure i. Cornwall iron furnace, state historic site located in. Bonfire at the iron furnaces embracing polish culture. Hopewell furnace ran by the us parks dept, this site has an entire iron furnace village. Scranton iron furnaces pennsylvania historical and.
The furnaces ranked as the second largest iron producer in the us by the 1880s, the mills producing trails for americas railroads until 1902. Pennsylvania iron furnace source book is a bibliographical source for the 18th and 19th century iron works of pennsylvania. Catlin, an early financier in the city, and his wife, helen, the home is one of scrantons architectural treasures. For information on guided tours, call anthracite heritage museum.
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. During this time, visitation at all sites is suspended. Scranton history surrounds our hotel, located within walking distance of attractions like the steamtown national historic site and the scranton iron furnaces. 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. Visit historic scranton iron furnaces on your trip to scranton.
The state, published by young americas foundation, suite 808, 11800 sunrise valley drive, reston, va 22091. 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 are administered by the pennsylvania historical and museum commission and are actively supported. Relax at a local park after a business meeting, or take your family to one of these nearby favorites. 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. Book now at 71 restaurants near historic scranton iron furnaces on opentable. Here you see the remains of four stone blast furnaces which were built between 1848 and 1857. Rockaway township is a municipality located in morris county in northwest new jersey. Art and history research at the scranton iron furnaces darlene millerlanning, ph.
Anthracite coal replaced charcoal as fuel by the 1840s, leading to a more efficient iron making process and better quality iron. The scranton iron furnaces is administered by the phmc, with the support. The public can access our grounds for pedestrian recreation. Located in scrantons historic nay aug park, the everhart museum has been engaging audiences with art, science, and natural history for over 110 years. Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the dates you. Anthracite heritage museum pennsylvania trail of history.
A place to celebrate the history of the great state of pa. Stackpole books and the pennsylvania historical and museum commission. Lackawanna furnaces in scranton pa practical machinist. There is nothing fancy, no living history or guides but the information boards did explain much of. Book radisson hotels in scranton pa radisson hotels. The scranton iron furnaces, four massive stone blast furnace stacks built between 1848 and 1857, recall the titan lackawanna iron and steel company. The scranton iron furnaces, located at the nexus of cedar avenue and lackawanna avenue, represent scrantons earliest industrial history. View all attractions near historic scranton iron furnaces on tripadvisor. Scranton iron furnaces pennsylvania historical and pa.
Designed by architect edward langley and built in 1912, the tudor revival style home is a. Her love for history stems from her first visit to scrantons historic iron furnaces as a child. Anthracite, locomotives, silk, and lace soon followed. The scranton iron furnaces were one of the earliest sites to use anthracite coal as fuel for their blast furnaces. 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. History of scranton, pennsylvania scranton is located in the heart of one of the great deposits of anthracite coal in the world, which provided the underpinnings for much of scrantons industrial growth until the middle of the 20th century. Pennsylvania has a long and rich history with iron production. The township can be reached via route 80 at exits at 37 hibernia and 35a and 35b mount hope. Joanna furnace a privately financed group is truly doing wonderful things at this site. 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. Historic scranton iron furnaces 2020 all you need to know. Once the information starts flowing its like tapping a maple tree in early spring, the juice just keeps coming. The scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the. The scranton story foundation for economic education.
For all group leaders is the newly published anthracite heritage museum and scranton iron furnaces, a 48page book pennsylvania trail of history guide. Books related to colonial iron furnaces, colonial iron mines, early metal working. Iron and the old stone furnaces of western pennsylvania. 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. Her love for history stems from her first visit to scranton s historic iron furnaces as a child.
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. Scranton iron furnaces is a historic site that preserves the heritage of iron making in the u. As the colonialists spread across the state, they built iron furnaces in the susquehanna region, and then farther to the west, adjoining the. During the 1840s and 1850s furnaces fueled by anthracite superseded charcoal furnaces, and rolling mills replaced forges. 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. Iron furnaces pennsylvania anthracite heritage museum. 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. In 1840, george and selden scranton, with william henry, established their iron furnaces on the. My brief research found some mention of iron ore being found in the scranton area, but not enough to supply this complex after it grew to multiple huge furnaces. Historic scranton iron furnaces all you need to know. Transportation was key getting the coal to markets was a difficult and costly challenge but by 1829 there were four canals transporting anthracite. State of pennsylvania and is located in scranton, near the steamtown national historic site.
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