The Friends of Hopewell Furnace President Gene Delaplane announced on Sunday, May 11, a new campaign to raise funds to restore open hearth cooking at the Hopewell Furnace Boarding House. The campaign seeks to raise $8,000. Persons interested in donating to the campaign may send their donations to the Open Hearth Fund, Friends of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, 2 Mark Bird Land, Elverson.
In January, the National Park Service determined that the hearth did not meet code. The chimney needs to be relined, the smoke chamber must be re-pointed to seal holes and cracks, the firebox must be repaired and a heat shield over the firebox must be installed. ‘All of this work needs to be done before it is safe to allow our volunteers to once again demonstrate open hearth cooking,’ stated Hopewell Furnace Superintendent Edie Shean-Hammond. ‘We are very grateful to the Friends for their willingness to raise the financial resources so that our volunteers and staff can once again demonstrate open hearth cooking.’
Established in 1994, the Friends of Hopewell Furnace is the official non-profit fundraising arm of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. A 501(c)3 citizen organization, their mission is to support the preservation, maintenance and activities of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Donations to the Friends may be tax deductible according to the rules set by the Internal Revenue Service.
