Codorus Forge and Furnace Historic District
Also known as: Hellem (Hellam) Forge
Why it's listed
Along the south bank of Codorus Creek in Hellam Township, York County, lies an iron plantation whose origins go back to 1765, when William Bennett built Hellam Forge. Henry Grubb bought the property in 1810, renamed it Codorus Forge, and had a furnace built a short distance away in 1836. The furnace is roughly 30 feet tall, with a square stone base rising about 12 feet before becoming round and tapering upward, and it retains an iron-banded top and a brick hot blast stove with some original piping. The ironmaster's house, a stuccoed stone structure from about 1780, is nine bays wide and is regarded as a well-preserved example of vernacular architecture. The forge building measures 58 by 45 feet, with masonry walls and arched openings. The nomination considers the round furnace unusual, the forge a rare survivor of its type, and the site a source of information about iron production. The furnace stopped operating by 1850.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is one of the earliest ironmaking enterprises in central Pennsylvania and that its round stone furnace and hot blast apparatus are unusual and well preserved. It also cites the surviving forge walls as a rare survivor of its type and the site's archaeological potential, since it has seen little later disturbance.
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 91001132, listed September 6, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of River Farm and Furnace Rds., Hellam Township, Saginaw |
|---|---|
| County | York County |
| Listed | September 6, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001132 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1765-1850 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The furnace had ceased operation by 1850; the furnace is owned by the Conservation Society of York County and maintained as a historic site; the 1989 fire destroyed one ruined building. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 40.05161, -76.65690 (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 91001132.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5140345
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.