Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District
|
|
Overview of the blast furnace
|
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Junction of River Farm and Furnace Roads, southeast of Saginaw, Hellam Township, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
| Built | 1765 |
| Architectural style | Iron furnace |
| MPS | Iron and Steel Resources of Pennsylvania MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001132 |
| Added to NRHP | September 6, 1991 |
The Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District is a super cool old place in Hellam Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It's also known as Hellem (Hellam) Forge. This historic district is like a time capsule. It shows how people used to make iron a long, long time ago.
A "forge" is a workshop where metal is heated and shaped. A "furnace" is a special oven used to melt metal. This district has several old buildings and structures. They tell the story of iron-making in early America.
What is the Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District?
This historic district is a special area. It protects important old buildings and sites. These places show how people lived and worked in the past. The Codorus Forge and Furnace area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This means it's a nationally recognized historic site.
Buildings and Structures You Can See
The district covers about 7 acres. It includes several important parts. These parts helped make iron in the 1700s and 1800s.
- Iron Furnace: This big furnace was built around 1836. It's about 30 feet wide at the bottom. It stands about 12 feet tall. This is where iron ore was melted down.
- Charcoal House: Also built around 1836, this building stored charcoal. Charcoal was very important. It was the fuel used to heat the furnace.
- Ironmaster's House and Furnace Office: This stone house was built around 1780. The ironmaster was the boss. They lived here and managed the iron-making business. It's a large, two-and-a-half-story building.
- Forge: The original forge was set up in 1765. The current forge building dates to 1800. This is where the melted iron was shaped into useful items.
- Other Ruins: You can also see the ruins of other buildings. These include old workers' houses and other unknown structures. They give clues about daily life here.
How Iron Was Made Here
The Codorus Forge and Furnace was a busy place. Workers would bring iron ore and limestone to the furnace. They would also bring charcoal from the charcoal house. All these materials were heated to very high temperatures in the furnace. This process melted the iron ore. The melted iron would then flow out.
After melting, the hot iron was taken to the forge. Here, skilled blacksmiths would shape it. They used hammers and other tools. They turned the raw iron into tools, parts, and other useful items. This was a very important industry. It helped build early America.
