Curtin Village
Introduction
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Curtin Village is a significant historical site in Central Pennsylvania. It was the location of an ironworks that operated from the early 1800s through 1921. A number of historic structures are still standing including the Curtin family mansion, a late-Victorian house, workers houses, the ironworks building, and the remnants of a grist mill. The village, which was a self-sustaining community, is typical of other ironworks sites in the center region of the state and as such gives visitors a sense of what life was like for the people that lived and worked here. Visitors will also learn about the important role the iron industry played in the state's development. The entire site comprises a historic district that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Images
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Curtain and Boggs chose this location because timber and iron deposits were plentiful, the river provided a power source, and there was a ready source of limestone, which was needed to process the iron. The village was mostly self-sustaining—complete with blacksmiths, carpenters, teachers, and shopkepers—and did not need a lot of supplies from elsewhere.
Sources
"Curtin Family & Mansion." Curtin Village at Eagle Ironworks Historical Site. Accessed November 4, 2018. http://www.curtinvillage.com/Curtin_Family___Mansion.html.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons