Poole Forge
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Why it's listed
Poole Forge is an iron complex in Caernarvon Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on a bend of the Conestoga Creek south of Route 23. James Old erected the forge around 1779, and the property had earlier held a grist mill. The forge produced charcoal blooms and bar iron from pig iron supplied by the Elizabeth Furnace, and the iron was distributed to Philadelphia and Reading. Ownership passed through the Old family to Cyrus Jacobs in 1799, and then to his grandson Hanson Bentley Jacobs, under whom the forge operated into the 1850s. The complex includes the Ironmaster's Mansion, a two-and-a-half-story stone house of brownstone and ironstone with a Federal style staircase, mantel and dormers, along with a springhouse, the Paymaster's Building, tenant houses and lime kiln ruins. Its buildings are regarded as unusually complete evidence of an eighteenth century iron plantation community in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Significance in brief: The complex is significant for its role in early ironmaking in eastern Pennsylvania, representing the community of an eighteenth century iron plantation. The buildings retain a high degree of integrity as examples of late eighteenth and early nineteenth century architecture in rural southeastern Pennsylvania, and the Mansion has a high degree of Federal style detailing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 93000351, listed April 29, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1936, 1938, 1940 and 1942 Main St., Caernarvon Township, Narvon |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | April 29, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000351 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | circa 1779-1859 |
| Architectural style | Federal; Colonial - Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 23 |
| Coordinates | 40.13020, -75.97599 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 93000351.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7228614
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.