Hopewell Furnace hosting 80th anniversary celebration
Historic site plans many activities to mark anniversary
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site will be celebrating its 80th birthday throughout the summer and fall, offering numerous free programs and special events for the entire family to enjoy.
The festivities will culminate on Saturday, Aug. 4, when the park celebrates Establishment Day. This day will offer a plethora of free activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., including games, junior ranger programs, casting and molding demonstrations, and a series of speakers who will highlight the National Park Service history. The festivities include a birthday cake and are intended to go on rain or shine.
“We celebrate our birthday every year, but for our 80th birthday, we’d like to increase the number of participants and activities,” said Hopewell Site Manager David Blackwell. “The speaking portion is a brief recognition of our creation, who we are, and a thank you for coming. We’re working on getting keynote speakers.”
Before the big festivities in August, many events are being held throughout the month of July — all of which are free. These events include a moulding and casting demonstration every Saturday, and the Friends of Hopewell Furnace lecture series, which is held on the second Sunday of every month.
There are also many free events planned after Establishment Day, such as interactive charcoal-making demonstrations from Aug. 4-11, the annual StarFest astrology celebration on Aug. 11, and a lecture on the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Museum on Aug. 12.
“Our name suggests that we were a furnace who made iron,” said Blackwell, “But there was also the people, the labor they provided, the owner, the farmers who provided food, etc. I like putting programs in play that show
our audience that we’re more than iron; we’re a full functioning community that did many things to run this furnace. I also like creating programs that play into the larger roles of national parks, such as resource preservation.”
The park is located at 2 Mark Bird Lane in Elverson, off Route 345, about 6.5 miles south of Birdsboro.
All activities are free and will be posted on the web events calendar for Hopewell Furnace: https:// w w w.nps.gov/hofu/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.