Rebecca Lukens was an ironmaster and America’s first female industrialist.  She took over the Brandywine Iron Works & Nail Factory in 1825 and operated the business successfully for twenty-five years.  In the 1830s, Lukens also owned other businesses, including a warehouse and freight agency.  Her legacy led to more than two centuries of iron and steelmaking.  Today, the Coatesville steel site, which originated as Brandywine Iron Works, is the longest, continuously running iron and steel site in the United States.

Photograph c1849, National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum

Iron and Steel Hall of Fame Induction - 2018