eagle ironworks at curtin village

Thanks to budget cuts, the Ironworks and house are rarely open. However, there are plenty of things to do on the grounds if you don't require entertainment. Bring a lunch and eat in the pavilion or picnic in the old worker's village. Fish or tube in Spring Creek, which is right there! This is a gorgeous setting that's surprisingly low traffic -- most of the time when I go, I have the place to myself.

Central PA was settled by Agriculture and Iron mining and processing. This site is the best place to learn about the Iron process. There are many stonework iron furnace chimney stacks scattered around the region, but, as far as I know, this is the only one where one can learn about the whole works and see how the furnace was when it operated. The connection of the estate with Pennsylvania and US history is also interesting. Eagle Ironworks at Curtin Village is a unique site and not to be missed.Sadly, the staff has been cut to a bare minimum, and the guide who showed me around admitted to me that he did not know as much about the house as the former docents did. He was well able to satisfy my curiosity about the furnace, which was the main reason for my visit. I wish I had visited before the staff was cut, but am glad I visited when I did. I would suggest getting there early and giving lots of time to poke around and explore.

Just a short distance from the road leading to Bald Eagle State Park, the old ironworks building was amazing to see. I am sorry we didn't get to take a tour. They are only given on weekends now due to government budget cuts. There are a few interesting buildings, including a house to tour, and an old church. Very picturesque.

We went there today, Monday just to learn they no longer offer tours on the wkdays. So hopefully on out next journey here we can stop by and enjoy the sites.

It is best to go in the summer months when the Guide Staff us there to take a tour of the house. During cold weather months, its still a great place to take pictures of all the buildings. It helps gain perspective on the way we lived back in the old days!

Went here because my g-g-g-grandfather worked here in the 1800s. It is owned by the Curtin family (Andrew G. Curtin was the governor of Pennsylvania 1861-1867.) With Pennsylvania's cut to state parks, this too has suffered, but is still a beautiful place to visit. The home is amazing with many period pieces inside, and the ironworks itself is extremely interesting. The tiny village where the workers lived is very serene & quaint & illistrates what it was like to live in a small company town in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s.

This is a gem of a place that is unfortunately a bit off the beaten path (though only a couple miles from I-80!) and understaffed, but it is one of the BEST reconstructed ironworks in the state, if not the country. Shows how an iron plantation worked in the 19th century and has great potential to demonstrate frontier life. Sadly, it is only partially supported by the State museums' commission, and the local volunteer group can only do so much, especially as it is not right in the heart of any tourism. But if you like iron and old industry, this is definitely worth visiting on weekends in the summer.

What a great out of the way historic spot to visit and learn about the days gone by. It used to be a booming little place, lots of traffic, a working canal and railroad. So much history and the grounds are exeptionally beautiful and well kept. Unfortunately, there isn't much interest for places such as these in today's society so it would be nice to see that interest level pick up. Worth a visit for sure!

I went there with a group, and we had a very thorough tour of the mansion, the iron works and the workers' village. I found the mansion interesting, but what really fascinated me were the vast ironworks. I understand that most of it is not original, but it's still a wonderful learning experience. Unfortunately the opening hours are far too limited for such an important historic site. I wish there was money available to develop it into a first class tourist attraction.

Neat to see the ironworks building complete with furnace and water aqueduct chutes still in place.