On Sunday, Sept. 14, the Friends of Hopewell Furnace will present a special program at the Mount Frisby African Methodist Episcopal Church and Cemetery-the oldest African American Cemetery in Berks County and the man who donated the land for it, Isaac Cole.
The free program will begin at the Hopewell Furnace Visitor Center at 2 p.m.
Bus transportation will be provided to the church where John Cole, a direct descendant of Isaac Cole and owner will guide visitors to the church and Isaac Cole’s grave site. Persons wishing to attend must be at the Visitor Center at 2 p.m.
Isaac Cole, a free African American, worked as a laborer at Hopewell Furnace. In the 19th century, Hopewell Furnace offered equal pay for equal work regardless of race or gender. From his work at Hopewell Furnace, Cole was able to purchase some 100 acres of land which housed several structures including the Mount Frisby AME Church.
Berks County maps from 1860 and 1876 show Isaac Cole as a land owner in the African American community at Six Penny Creek in what is now French Creek State Park. In 1864 Cole volunteered to serve in an infantry regiment of the United States Colored Troops of the United States Army. His regiment saw action at the Battle of Honey Hill, South Carolina in 1864 and participated in the occupation of Charleston in 1865.
Isaac Cole’s grave at the Mt. Frisby Cemetery is marked with a government-issue veteran’s headstone. The Mt. Frisby Church, is located on Cole family property and served as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
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, its mission is to support the preservation, maintenance and programs of Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. Donations to the Friends may be tax deductible according to the rules set by the Internal Revenue Service.
While at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site visitors are encouraged to go into the village, tour the buildings and learn about the iron making industry and why Hopewell Furnace is important to our nation’s history. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the park is located five miles south of Birdsboro, off of Route 345. For more information stop by the park’s visitor center, call 610-582-8773, visit the park’s web site at www.nps.gov/hofu, or contact the park by e-mail at hofu_superintendent@nps.gov.
