Robesonia Furnace Historic District - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Founded 1794 as Reading Furnace by ironmaster George Ege. In 1845 Henry P. Robeson expanded the furnace, spurring establishment in 1855 of the town of Robesonia. Although the furnace itself ceased operation and was razed in 1927, the Georgian-style ironmaster's mansion, Italianate office building, workers' houses, and other structures survived. The district is located one mile south of here.


Built on land once owned by Conrad Weiser, the Reading Furnace was built by George Ege in 1794 (he also owned Charming Forge Furnace a few miles west on 422, also one of my Waymarks). Ege died in 1829, leaving the furnace with it's 6,000 to 7,000 acres of land, ore rights to the Cornwall Ore Banks, gristmill, saw mill, mansion and other buildings to a trustee who ran it until it was put up for sale in 1836. After a number of owners Henry P. Robeson bought the furnace. He switched from charcoal to an anthracite furnace with a hot blast and produced 50 tons of iron a week. In 1854 after building a new stack they yielded 240 tons of iron a week. In 1855, the railroad was built. 1884, a new stack and they were producing 1,000 tons of iron a week. At that time, they were producing one kind of ore called "Robesonia" iron made exclusively of Cornwall ore.

In 1855 the furnace was sold to White & Company, Philadelphia. After 1903 a new furnace was installed and remained in service until 1914.

1912 they used the huge mountain of slag to make cinder blocks. They used these blocks to build tenant homes and the fire house.

1921 automatic fill was instituted.

1924 automatic pig casting machine and a large electric gantry crane.

Increased productivity and efficiency of the furnaces led to its demise. When established, it acquired a right to free ore from Cornwall Ore Banks (a waymark) for a period of 130 years at 2,000 tons per year. The furnaces were up to 100,000 tons per week. The original agreement was for one furnace, but they now had two. When one ran out of blast the other one was always ready to go. After a legal battle Cornwall Ore Banks had to supply ore for only one furnace.

Bethlehem Steel bought the furnace and on April 18, 1927 dismantled the furnace and sold off all the homes and other out buildings.

Site of furnance is at N40 20.606 W 76 08.486.

Street address: Furnace St., S. Church St. Freeman St. Mountain Ave. and E. Meadow Ave Robesonia, Pa. USA County / Borough / Parish: Robesonia, Berks County, Pa. Year listed: 1991 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Information Potential, Event Periods of significance: 1800-1824, 1825-1849, 1850-1874, 1875-1899, 1900-1924, 1925-1949 Historic function: Domestic, Industry/Processing/Extraction/Manufacturing Facility, Multiple Dwelling, Single Dwelling Current function: Domestic /Multiple Dwelling, Single Dwelling Privately owned?: yes Season start / Season finish: From: 01/01/2006 To: 12/31/2006 Hours of operation: From: 9:00 AM To: 5:00 PM Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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