The National Iron & Steel Heritage Museum
Hopewell Furnace — 1770
Site Name: Hopewell Furnace

Location: Elverson, Berks County

Dates of Operation: 1770 to 1883

Owners: Mark Bird

Historical Significance: Mark Bird was a prominent ironmaster: he owned multiple sites, was one of Pennsylvania’s largest slave owners, and helped supply the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Today, the site is a preserved example of a 19th-century rural iron plantation. Existing buildings include the furnace, ironmaster’s house, a store and blacksmith’s shop, and several worker’s houses. Hopewell Furnace is a National Historic Site in the National Park Service.