Hopewell in the Industrial Revolution

 

This illustration depicts Bethlehem Steel Works in Pennsylvania in 1881.

Pennell, Joseph, Artist. Bethlehem Steel Works. Bethlehem Pennsylvania, 1881. May. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/97517130/

The Industrial Revolution refers to the period between 1760 and 1840 that changed manufacturing processes in Europe and the United States. Products formally made by hand were now being produced in mass quantities with new machines and techniques. These changes transformed rural and agricultural societies into urban and industrialized societies. Hopewell Furnace, an early iron making business, tried to adapt with the new methods of production, but simply could not keep up with the changing industry.

 

Ruins of Hopewell's Anthracite Furnace.

Photo courtesy NPS VIP Anika Christman

The furnace company at Hopewell Furnace largely utilized a cold blast furnace to produce iron from c.1771 to 1883. This method of iron production required the use of charcoal to fuel the furnace, which was labor intensive and demanded an abundant supply of wood. During the Industrial Revolution, many in the iron industry changed their fuel source from charcoal to coke and coal. Coke and coal were more abundant and less labor intensive to obtain. Beginning in 1853, Hopewell briefly used an anthracite coal furnace. In less than 4 years, however, the furnace company reverted to its cold blast furnace because of the high cost in transporting coal.

 

This 1930s photograph shows a water wheel that was built at Hopewell Furnace in 1879.

NPS Photo

Innovations in steam power provided a reliable and efficient means of power. Before the creation of the steam engine, most industrial power was supplied by water and wind. Hopewell Furnace, for example, used a water wheel that was dependent on favorable weather conditions to work efficiently. In the late-19th century, a boiler was installed to run a steam engine as an auxiliary power for Hopewell’s water wheel.

In 1882, furnace management added an ore roaster to remove the impurities from the iron ore to improve the quality of the iron. This was one of the last innovations to be adopted at Hopewell Furnace. The management even hesitated to buy it for fear that the business would soon close and their purchase would be wasted.

 

The earliest known photograph of Hopewell Furnace was taken in 1887. The iron ore roaster is seen at the right of the Cast House against the wall.

NPS Photo

Historians believe the Second Industrial Revolution began in the late-19th century and early-20th century. This revolution ushered in a new period of standardization and industrialization. In this time, the iron industry was changed with innovations such as the Bessemer Process. This process made the mass production of steel possible. Technological innovations and changes in the market rendered Hopewell Furnace obsolete and unprofitable, causing the operation to permanently close in 1883.