Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site natural resource condition assessment
James M. 2016. Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site natural resource condition assessment. Natural Resource Report. NPS/HOFU/NRR—2016/1153. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site (HOFU) lies 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia and straddles the Berks-Chester County border in southeastern Pennsylvania (PA). HOFU is an example of a rural iron plantation from the late 18th to the late 19th centuries in America. It is a small cultural (343.2 ha) park with historical buildings, iron making structures, agricultural lands, pastures, woodlands, and streams. The local landscape was altered by the early tenants of the iron plantation and human land use disturbances are part of the site’s historical relevance. Raw ore was mined locally, fuel for the cold blast furnace was logged from the surrounding hardwood forests, and water from streams and ponds were diverted to power the furnace’s water wheel. Thus, the managed landscape is an important cultural backdrop to the interpretation of Hopewell Furnace’s history. HOFU is managed by the National Park Service (NPS) under the administration of Valley Forge National Historical Park (VAFO) and is part of the Mid-Atlantic Network (MIDN). Much of the lands surrounding HOFU are protected areas. French Creek State Park and State Game Lands #43 surround the park and Hopewell Big Woods encircles both HOFU and French Creek State Park. Hopewell Big Woods is the largest contiguous forest in southeastern PA. HOFU is dominated by a disturbed mixed secondary deciduous forest (76% of the park) and agricultural areas that are maintained as pastures, hay fields, crops, and orchards (~16% of the park). Developed or historic property comprises 8% of the park. The major streams in the park are French Creek and Baptism Creek. Small wetland areas are also present in the park. Natural resources presented in this Natural Resource Condition Assessment (NRCA) were divided into four general areas: physical resources, water-related resources, ecosystem integrity, and focal animal communities.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- James, Mary-Jane
- Date of Issue
- 2016-03
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- HOFU , MIDN , NRSS
- Keywords
- 2227834, Air Quality, Focal Communities, HOFU, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Mid-Atlantic Network, MIDN, Natural Resource Condition Assessment, NRCA, NRCA Planning, Pennsylvania, Terrestrial Resources, Water Resources