Barree Forge and Furnace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Barree Forge and Furnace
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Ruins, c. 1991
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Alexandria along the Juniata River, Porter Township, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 8 acres (3.2 ha) |
| MPS | Industrial Resources of Huntingdon County, 1780--1939 MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 90000405 |
| Added to NRHP | March 20, 1990 |
The Barree Forge and Furnace, which is now called Greene Hills Methodist Camp, is a special historic place in Porter Township, Pennsylvania. It's known as a national historic district because of its important past. This site was once a busy ironworks, where iron was made and shaped.
This historic district includes several old parts of the ironworks. There are two buildings, one specific site, and one structure that are all important to its history. These include the grand house where the ironmaster lived, the tall furnace stack, an old barn, and the spot where the Barree iron forge was built around 1797. The ironworks stopped working in the 1880s. In 1963, the United Methodist Church bought the property to use as a church camp. It was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
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What is Barree Forge and Furnace?
Barree Forge and Furnace was once a very important place for making iron. It was a large industrial site that helped produce iron products needed for many things, like tools and machinery. The "forge" was where iron was shaped, and the "furnace" was where raw materials were heated to create iron.
This historic site is located in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. It covers about 8 acres of land. Today, it serves a different purpose as a camp, but its old structures remind us of its industrial past.
A Look at the Old Buildings
The Barree Forge and Furnace site has several interesting parts that tell its story. These include the ironmaster's mansion and the furnace stack. Each part played a role in the iron-making process or the lives of the people who worked there.
The Ironmaster's Mansion
The ironmaster's mansion was built in the 1830s. This was the home of the person in charge of the entire ironworks. It is a large, two-and-a-half-story house made of brick. Today, it is painted white. This house shows how important the ironmaster was in the community.
The Furnace Stack
The furnace stack is a tall, impressive structure. It was built in 1864. This stack is made of large, cut limestone blocks. It stands about 30 feet square at its base and is between 6 and 15 feet tall. The furnace stack was a key part of the iron-making process, where iron ore was melted at very high temperatures.
From Ironworks to Camp
The Barree ironworks operated for many years, but it eventually closed down in the 1880s. After being an industrial site, the property found a new life. In 1963, the United Methodist Church purchased the land. They transformed the historic area into the Greene Hills Methodist Camp. This camp now offers a place for outdoor activities and gatherings, preserving the history of the site while giving it a new purpose.
