Codorus Forge Lonely Chimney - Hellam Township, PA
N 40° 03.318 W 076° 39.323
18T E 358807 N 4435207
In 1765 William Bennet built this historic forge & furnace on a 150-acre tract he obtained from the Penn family. Iron making was one of the earliest industries in the Twp. The furnace is in great shape w/ the chimney intact and looming high above.
Waymark Code: WMC4YV
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/25/2011
Views: 10
There is a lot more here than meets the eye. I was with my friends son and we were fortunate enough to run into the landowners while they were out walking their dog. Their home was the iron masters home which is in good condition. In back of their home are slave quarters. Across the road and overlooking the river are old stone structures which they told me were for baking clay or some kind of kiln, or something like that. If you visit, make sure to look around, but they ask that you not go on the property to view up close any of the aforementioned structures.
The furnace ceased operations in 1850 but as one would expect, it played a crucial role in arming our men during the Revolutionary War. When the British got stupid in 1812 again, Codorus Furnace was there to help us kick their butt...again! "In 1949 the Conservation Society of York County purchased the tract. The furnace has been restored three additional times, the last time in 1983. The Codorus Furnace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest remaining landmark of the iron industry in York County."
SOURCE The preceding link is form the official township website and contains a lot of other important information if you are so inclined to read more.