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47-410: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern Berks County , near Elverson, Pennsylvania , is an example of an American 19th century rural iron plantation , whose operations were based around a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast furnace. The significant restored structures include the furnace group ( blast furnace , water wheel , blast machinery, cast house and charcoal house), as well as

94-496: A stamping mill helped recover iron from the slag, which operated until 1817. The partners were forced to close down operations from 1808 until 1816, due to the national recession, and land title litigation. In 1817, a cupola furnace was added to resmelt pig iron into cast iron to sand cast sash weights, pots, skillets, kettles, flat irons, wheels, mill screws, apple mill nuts, clock weights, anvils, hammers, grates, grindstone wheels, mold boards, and stove plates. The 1830s were

141-541: A Democrat carried Berks in a Presidential election occurred in 2008, with Barack Obama receiving 53.9% of the vote to John McCain 's 44.7%. The other three statewide winners ( Rob McCord for treasurer, Jack Wagner for auditor general, and Tom Corbett for attorney general) also carried it. While Republicans have controlled the commissioner majority most of the time and continue to control most county row offices, Democrats have become more competitive in Berks in recent years. In

188-485: A cupola furnace; it was designed so that a cold blast injected at the bottom traveled through tuyere pipes across the top where the charge (i.e. of charcoal and scrap or pig iron ) was dumped, the air becoming a hot blast before reaching the bottom of the furnace where the iron was melted and then drained into appropriate molds for casting. A modern cupola furnace was made by French scientist and entomologist René-Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur around 1720. To begin

235-472: A female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.08. In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

282-404: A few hours, a day, weeks or even months. The cupola can be used over and over. During the production, samples may be taken from the metal and poured into small molds. A chill wedge is often poured to monitor the iron quality. These small, approx 18 mm ( ⁠ + 3 / 4 ⁠ ") wide × 38 mm ( ⁠1 + 1 / 2 ⁠ ") tall triangular shaped pieces are allowed to cool until

329-523: A furnace on 3000 acres. Bird expanded the business to 8000 acres by 1763, and added the Hopewell and Jones Good Luck mines. In 1770, he purchased several tracts in Berks and Chester Counties, planning a furnace on French Creek near his father's forge and the Hopewell mine. By 1771, the Hopewell Furnace was in operation, and an early stove plate was imprinted "Mark Bird-Hopewell Furnace - 1772." By 1775, Bird

376-425: A production run, called a 'cupola campaign', the furnace is filled with layers of coke and ignited with torches. Some smaller cupolas may be ignited with wood to start the coke burning. When the coke is ignited, air is introduced to the coke bed through ports in the sides called tuyeres . Wood, charcoal, or biomass may also be used as fuel for the cupola's fire. Flammable gases also can be added to air and blown through

423-574: A shift from charcoal-fueled furnaces to anthracite -fueled steel mills, rendered smaller furnaces like Hopewell obsolete. The site discontinued operations in 1883. In 1938, the property was designated Hopewell Village National Historic Site under the authority of the Historic Sites Act , thereby becoming one of the earliest cultural units of the National Park System. Today, Hopewell Furnace consists of 14 restored structures, 52 features on

470-550: Is Reading , the fourth-most populous city in the state. The county is part of the South Central Pennsylvania region of the state. The county borders Lehigh County to its north and its east, Schuylkill County to its north, Lebanon and Lancaster counties to its west, and Chester County to its south. The county is approximately 26 miles (42 km) southwest of Allentown , the state's third-largest city, and 64 miles (103 km) northwest of Philadelphia ,

517-811: Is composed of four historic structures: White Horse Inn, George Douglass Mansion, Bridge keeper's House, and the Mouns Jones House, constructed in 1716, which is the oldest recorded building in the county. West Reading in home to the annual Art on the Avenue, which reached its 25th year in 2019. Berks County is home to several media outlets, including: Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities , boroughs , townships , and towns . The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Berks County: Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by

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564-417: Is lined in a similar manner but often a clay and sand mixture ("bod") may be used, as this lining is temporary. Finely divided coal ("sea coal") can be mixed with the clay lining so when heated the coal decomposes and the bod becomes slightly friable, easing the opening up of the tap holes. The bottom lining is compressed or 'rammed' against the bottom doors. Some cupolas are fitted with cooling jackets to keep

611-478: Is often abbreviated to Berks. Berks County began much larger than it is today. The northwestern parts of the county went to the founding of Northumberland County in 1772 and Schuylkill County in 1811, when it reached its current size. In 2005, Berks County was added to the Delaware Valley Planning Area due to a fast-growing population and close proximity to the other communities. According to

658-658: Is still competitive, with the last Republican to carry the county by more than 10% being George H.W. Bush in 1988. As of 2023, the Republican Party maintained a total registration edge over Democrats in Berks County. At the top of the Pennsylvania ticket in November 2022, Berks County split its votes, supporting Democrat Josh Shapiro for governor and Republican Mehmet Oz for U.S. Senate . The first time since 1964 that

705-552: The 2010 U.S. census the metropolitan area is the 10th-most populous in Pennsylvania and the 128th-most populous in the U.S. with a population of 413,491. Berks County is part of the larger Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD Combined Statistical Area (CSA) , the largest in Pennsylvania and eighth-most populous in the nation with a population of 7,067,807. As of September 21, 2023, there were 253,186 registered voters in Berks County. Berks County leans Republican, but

752-562: The Continental Army and Continental Navy . However, payments from Congress were insufficient to cover his over-expanded business, and Bird was forced to close down his Berks County ironworks in 1784 following the national economic downturn. Bird noted, "...I was Ruined, by the Warr, it was not Drunkenness, Idleness or want of Industry." Following floods and fire, Bird was forced to mortgage his Hopewell and Birdsboro properties in 1786. In 1788,

799-679: The Oley Valley . The Old Order Mennonites in the area belong to the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church and use the horse and buggy as transportation. There are several farms in the area belonging to the Old Order Mennonite community and meetinghouses are located near Kutztown and Fleetwood. The Office of Management and Budget has designated Berks County as the Reading, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) . As of

846-512: The Swatara Creek in the northwest and the Conestoga River , which starts in Berks County between Morgantown and Elverson in the county's extreme south. It has a humid continental climate ( Dfa except for some Dfb on Blue Mountain at the northern boundary.) The hardiness zone is mostly 7a with 6b in some higher northern and eastern areas. [1] As of the 2010 census , the county

893-503: The U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well. The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Berks County. † county seat CDP = census designated population 40°25′N 75°56′W  /  40.42°N 75.93°W  / 40.42; -75.93 Cupola furnace The bottom of

940-641: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 866 square miles (2,240 km ), 857 square miles (2,220 km ) of which is land and 9.2 square miles (24 km ) (1.1%) of which is water. Most of the county is drained by the Schuylkill River , but an area in the northeast is drained by the Lehigh River via the Little Lehigh Creek and areas are drained by the Susquehanna River via

987-456: The 1740s when inhabitants of northern Lancaster County sent several petitions requesting that a separate county be established. With the help of German immigrant Conrad Weiser , the county was formed on March 11, 1752, from parts of Chester County , Lancaster County , and Philadelphia County . It was named after the English county in which William Penn 's family home lay, Berkshire , which

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1034-511: The 2012 Presidential election, Mitt Romney carried the county by approximately a one-percent margin, 49.6% to 48.6%, however, in 2016, Donald Trump carried Berks by a much larger margin of 52.9% to 42.7%. Chart of Voter Registration School districts include: Reading Public Museum in Reading is an art, science, and history museum. The Reading Buccaneers Drum and Bugle Corps are an all-age drum corps based in Berks County. Founded in 1957,

1081-546: The Hopewell plantation was auctioned off to James Old and Cadwallader Morris, while Bird fled to North Carolina, a debtor's refuge. Bird died there in 1816. By 1789, Hopewell Furnace was the second largest of 14 furnaces in Pennsylvania with annual capacity of 700 tons. Yet, the operation was still not profitable. In 1794, James Wilson bought the operation, but was forced to auction the complex in 1796, and fled to North Carolina to avoid his creditors. In 1800, Daniel Buckley, and his brothers-in-law Matthew and Thomas Brooke, purchased

1128-560: The List of Classified Structures, and a total of 848 mostly wooded acres. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is located in the Hopewell Big Woods and bordered by French Creek State Park on three sides and State Game Lands 43 on the south side, which preserves the lands the furnace utilized for its natural resources. In 1761, Mark Bird took over the family business after the death of his ironmaster father. This included two forges and

1175-477: The bottom doors. During the melting process a chemical reaction takes place between the fuel, the blast air, and the metal. The carbon in the coke combines with the oxygen in the air to form carbon monoxide . The carbon monoxide further burns to form carbon dioxide . Some of the carbon is picked up by the falling droplets of molten metal which raises the carbon content of the iron. Silicon carbide , ferromanganese , ferrosilicon , or other alloying agents, often in

1222-564: The corps is a charter member Drum Corps Associates and an 11-time DCA World Champion. Reading is home to Berks Opera Company, founded in 2007 as Berks Opera Workshop. There are two Pennsylvania state parks and one natural area in Berks County. There are two Pennsylvania Historic Sites in Berks County. The Old Morlatton Village in Douglassville is maintained by the Historic Preservation Trust of Berks County. The village

1269-435: The county. The population density was 479 inhabitants per square mile (185/km ). There were 164,827 housing units at an average density of 191.9 per square mile (74.1/km ). According to Muninet Guide's 2010 analysis, the median household income for Berks County is $ 54,105. There were 154,356 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 12.0% had

1316-405: The cupola tender opens the "tap hole" to let the metal flow into a ladle or other container to hold the molten metal. When enough metal is drawn off the "tap hole" is plugged with a refractory plug made of clay. The cupola tender observes the furnace through the sight glass or peep hole in the tuyeres. Slag will rise to the top of the pool of iron being formed. A slag hole, located higher up on

1363-480: The cylinder is fitted with doors which swing down and out to 'drop bottom'. The top where gases escape can be open or fitted with a cap to prevent rain from entering the cupola. To control emissions a cupola may be fitted with a cap that is designed to pull the gases into a device to cool the gases and remove particulate matter . The shell of the cupola, being usually made of steel, has refractory brick and plastic refractory patching material lining it. The bottom

1410-426: The cylinder of the furnace, and usually to the rear or side of the tap hole, is opened to let the slag flow out. The viscosity is low (with proper fluxing) and the red hot molten slag will flow easily. Sometimes the slag which runs out the slag hole is collected in a small cup shaped tool, allowed to cool and harden. It is fractured and visually examined. With acid refractory lined cupolas a greenish colored slag means

1457-422: The fluxing is proper and adequate. In basic refractory lined cupolas the slag is brown. When the operation is over, the blast is shut off and the prop under the bottom door is knocked down so that the bottom plates swing open. This enables the cupola remains to drop to the floor or into a bucket. This material is allowed to cool or quenched and subsequently removed from underneath the cupola. A 'campaign' may last

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1504-482: The form of briquettes, may be added to the charge materials. Silicon carbide dissociates and carbon and silicon enters into the molten metal. Likewise, ferromanganese melts and is combined into the pool of liquid iron in the 'well' at the bottom of the cupola. Pea-sized raw ore of metals such as iron, copper, lead, and even those containing precious metals can be melted in the cupola or blast furnace. Vannoccio Biringuccio describes how to separate metals and slag by pouring

1551-416: The furnace and operated it as a family business for the next 83 years. Daniel Buckley was succeed upon his death in 1828 by his son Matthew Brooke Buckley, and then his grandson Edward S. Buckley. In 1801, the two bellows were repaired. In 1804, the furnace was renovated, a new charcoal house built, the water wheel and head race remodeled, with the overshot wheel replaced by a breastshot wheel. In 1805,

1598-513: The ironmaster's house, a company store, the blacksmith's shop, a barn and several worker's houses. Hopewell Furnace was founded about 1771 by ironmaster Mark Bird, son of William Bird, who had been one of Pennsylvania's most prominent ironmasters. The site's most prosperous time was during the 1820-1840 period with a brief return to significant production during the American Civil War. In the mid-19th century, changes in iron making, including

1645-411: The melted ore contents from the furnace into a small pool then peeling off layers of slag or metal from the top as they cool into a solid. The operator of the cupola is known as the "cupola tender" or "furnace master". During the operation of a tapped cupola (cupolas may vary in this regard) the tender observes the amount of iron rising in the well of the cupola. When the metal level is sufficiently high,

1692-403: The metal has solidified. They are then extracted from the sand mold and quenched in water, wide end first. After cooling in this manner the wedges are fractured and the metal coloration is assessed. A typical fracture will have a whitish color towards the thin area of the wedge and grayish color towards the wide end. The width of the wedge at the point of demarcation between the white and gray areas

1739-431: The most profitable years, and from 1825 until 1844, stove plates were the most lucrative product. In 1839, 5,152 stoves were produced. While Clement Brooke served as resident manager and iron master from 1816 until 1848, he added a cellar, kitchen and southwest wing to the ironmaster's house, enlarged the spring house and company store, and built tenant houses and a schoolhouse. Stove plate production ended in 1844, and over

1786-504: The next five years. In 1935, the federal government purchased the property from Louise Brooke, daughter of Dr. Charles and Maria Clingan, paying $ 100,000 for 4000 acres. In 1938, the Secretary of the Interior designated the area as a National Historic Site, and plans proceeded to restore the area to its prosperous period of 1820 to 1840. In 1946, 5000 acres of the recreation area were deeded to

1833-458: The next four decades, mainly pig iron was produced. Customers included the Reading Railroad . Dr. Charles M. Clingan, Clement Brooke's son-in-law, succeeded as resident manager over the next 10 years. He was followed by John R. Shafer for the next 15 years, and Harker Long as the last resident manager. The furnace ceased operations on 15 June 1883, and the remaining pig iron stock sold off over

1880-559: The sides cool and with oxygen injection to make the coke fire burn hotter. Cupola furnaces were built in China as early as the Warring States period (403–221 BC), although Donald Wagner writes that some iron ore melted in the blast furnace may have been cast directly into molds . During the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD), most, if not all, iron smelted in the blast furnace was remelted in

1927-453: The site are recently focused on preserving and cataloging documents from the furnace's active period, in order to better interpret and present the history of the area. Berks County, Pennsylvania Berks County ( Pennsylvania Dutch : Barricks Kaundi ) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . As of the 2020 census , the county's population was 428,849. The county seat

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1974-589: The state's largest city. The Schuylkill River , a 135-mile-long (217 km) tributary of the Delaware River , flows through Berks County. The county is part of the Reading, PA metropolitan statistical area (MSA), which in turn is part of the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area known as the Philadelphia -Reading- Camden , PA- NJ - DE - MD combined statistical area (CSA). Reading developed during

2021-683: The state, keeping 848 acres for the historic site. Restoration began in the 1950s, and by 1952, the furnace, blacksmith shop, water wheel and blast machinery, barn, tenant houses, and cast house had been rebuilt and restored. This included the use of wooden dowels and hand hewn beams. Due to being one of the oldest established units in the National Park Service, Hopewell Furnace had deferred maintenance costs of $ 7,983,521 in 2015, $ 7,526,855 in 2016, $ 6,835,475 in 2017, and most recently published $ 7,443,553 in 2018. Much of this comes from costs of repair and maintenance needs. Local support groups for

2068-410: The tuyere section of the furnace to add fuel to the fire. When the coke is very hot, solid pieces of metal are charged into the furnace through an opening in the top. The metal is alternated with additional layers of fresh coke. Limestone is added to act as a flux . As the heat rises within the stack the metal is melted. It drips down through the coke bed to collect in a pool at the bottom, just above

2115-465: Was 39.1 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.70 males. Berks County is home to an Old Order Mennonite community consisting of about 160 families, located in the East Penn Valley near Kutztown and Fleetwood . The Old Order Mennonites first bought land in the area in 1949. In 2012, Old Order Mennonites bought two large farms in

2162-475: Was 76.9% White non-Hispanic, 4.9% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.3% Asian, and 2.5% were two or more races. 16.4% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino ancestry. Historically there is a large Pennsylvania Dutch population. It is known as part of Pennsylvania Dutch Country . More recently there is a large Puerto Rican population centered in the city of Reading. There were 411,442 people, 154,356 households, and 106,532 families residing in

2209-742: Was a member of the Pennsylvania Committee of Correspondence and the Pennsylvania Provincial Conference . During the American Revolutionary War , Bird served as a colonel of the Second Battalion of Berks County militia, was elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly , and served as a judge for Berks County. As Deputy Quartermaster General of Pennsylvania, his furnace provided cannon and shot to

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