Location: Phoenixville, Chester County
Dates of Operation: 1790 to 1976
Owners: Benjamin Longstreth; Lewis Wernwag; Reeves and Whitaker Brothers; Reeves, Buck & Company; Phoenix Iron Company; Phoenix Steel Corporation
Historical Significance: French Creek Nail Works was the first nail factory in the U.S. In the 1860s, Phoenix Iron Company manufactured two important products: the Griffen Gun, which helped lead to Northern victory in the Civil War, and Phoenix Columns, structural steel that can still be found in historic bridges and buildings today. In 1910, the company had the largest open hearth furnace in the world, with a 150 ton capacity.