National Register of Historic Places

Joanna Furnace Complex

Morgantown, Berks County, Pennsylvania
Listed
April 22, 1980
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80003426

About this property

The Joanna Furnace Complex was an iron furnace that operated from 1792 (1792) to 1901 (1901) in Robeson Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. It was founded by Samuel Potts and Thomas Rutter III (grandson of Thomas Rutter) and named for Potts's wife Joanna. The furnace and its associated buildings were listed as a historic district by the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. After the Civil War ended, the charcoal-fired furnace was owned by Clement Grubb's son-in-law, L. Heber Smith, a former colonel who married Clement's daughter Ella Jane Brooke Grubb in 1868. It then passed through several hands before Smith took ownership, possibly after the war and before his marriage to Ella Jane. It is likely that the Grubbs assisted with the furnace's major technological upgrade in 1889, when his wife inherited her father's sizable estate that year. The furnace continued in operation under Smith until it was "blown out" after his death in 1898 at the age of sixty-one. The furnace was acquired by Bethlehem Steel, which deeded it to the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association in 1979. The ruins have been preserved and are open to visitors. Hay Creek Valley Historical Association - operates Joanna Furnace Historic Joanna Furnace:Schuylkill River Heritage Area

Location

Morgantown, Berks County, Pennsylvania
40.19156, -75.88995

Categories

INDUSTRYHISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINAL
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Morgantown Historic District
Listed
2.5 mi
Geiger Mill
Industrial
2.8 mi
Elverson Historic District
Listed
3.8 mi
French Creek State Park: Organized Group Camp 4 District
Listed
5 mi
Alleghany Mennonite Meetinghouse
Industrial
5.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Joanna Furnace Complex listed on the National Register?

Joanna Furnace Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Joanna Furnace Complex?

Joanna Furnace Complex is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Joanna Furnace Complex?

The period of significance for Joanna Furnace Complex is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Joanna Furnace Complex?

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