{"nrhp_refnum":"87000797","name":"Reading Furnace Historic District","other_names":["Redding Furnace Farm"],"category":"district","location":{"address":"Mansion Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Warwick","county":"Chester County","state":"PA","lat":40.14690824100006,"lon":-75.7686509096965,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1987-07-30","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A historic district of farm and iron-making buildings and sites in Warwick and East Nantmeal Townships, Chester County, Pennsylvania, straddling the South Branch of French Creek. It centers on a mansion built in sections from 1744 to 1936, with an 1736 iron furnace site, a dam ruin, outbuildings and a 1904 stone arch bridge.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the district is locally important for architecture. Its 1812 mansion section contains exceptionally detailed woodwork by Gottlieb Drexel, and its 1936 remodeling and addition by Richardson Brognard Okie is regarded as a fine regional example of his Arts and Crafts work on Colonial buildings. It is also presented as one of the largest early twentieth century country estates converted from nineteenth century farmhouses.","narrative":"Along the South Branch of French Creek in Warwick and East Nantmeal Townships, Chester County, the Reading Furnace Historic District grew from an iron furnace begun in 1736 under William Branson. The furnace operated until 1811, after which the site became a farm. The mansion was built in sections from 1744 to 1936. Its 1812 section holds finely fluted cornices, doorways and fireplace mantels by Gottlieb Drexel, a Berks County carpenter whose woodwork is rare in northern Chester County. In 1936 Arthur Pew bought the property and hired Richardson Brognard Okie, who remodeled the house, added a large three-block wing, and introduced Arts and Crafts woodwork. The estate is regarded as one of the largest country houses of its kind in the two townships. The district also includes a dam ruin, the furnace foundation, outbuildings and a stone arch bridge of 1904.","period_of_significance":"1736-1936","architect_builder":"Gottlieb Drexel; R. Brognard Okie","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["C"],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:32.860139-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/87000797.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87000797/1baab45304-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/87000797/1baab45304-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Choess","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reading_Furnace_and_Farm_buildings.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Choess</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reading_Furnace_and_Farm_buildings.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71998526","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_Furnace_Historic_District","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7300509"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/chester-county/reading-furnace-historic-district-87000797/"}