Iron production at Hopewell furnace required a blast of air to bring the heat of the furnace above 2800° Fahrenheit. The water wheel supplied this air blast by pumping a pair of pistons inside two blowing tubs. Compressed air moved from the blowing tubs into a receiving box between the tubs, and then through a long pipe to enter the furnace through the tuyere, a cone-shaped nozzle attached to the end of the pipe.
The History of Water Wheels The Hopewell Water Wheel The History of Hopewell's Water Wheel 1834: The wheel was replaced once again by one hauled in from Hibernia. 1879: The wheel was replaced for the final time while the furnace was in operation. 1883: The furnace went “out of blast” for the last time. The wheel sat dormant and mostly forgotten until 1935 when the Federal Government acquired the Hopewell property. 1941: The Civilian Conservation Corps began restoration on the wheel, which was halted with the disbandment of the CCC when the United States entered WWII. 1949-1952: The 1879 wheel was recreated. 1988: Another restored wheel was dedicated on August 7, 1988. After 36 years of stop-and-go turning in the park, the 1952 wheel began to vibrate unsteadily while turning and it became clear that the wheel needed to be replaced. 2006: The most recent development in the ongoing story of this water wheel is that in 2003 it once again became apparent that the wheel needed to be replaced. After more careful work in historical restoration, a new wheel was dedicated once more on August 5, 2006. Problems with Water Wheels |
Last updated: August 19, 2020