Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver is a 23 year veteran of the guide force, a wildlife artist, and a recently returned veteran from Iraq. Dave served as a Captain (Staff Officer) in an infantry unit for the United States Army. He is standing in Caledonia State Park on South Mountain, approximately 14 miles west of Gettysburg. The Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop is in the background. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The Caledonia Iron Works, located on South Mountain was owned by Congressman Thaddeus Stevens from 1837 until the 1860s. The Iron Works were burned by Confederate Major-General Jubal Early in 1863. Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver and Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick show us some locations at the site. In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver introduced us to Caledonia State Park and Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick shows us the Blacksmith Shop.
For more information on the Thaddeus Stevens Society, click on this link: http://www.thaddeusstevenssociety.com/
For more information on Caledonia State Park, click on this link: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/caledonia.aspx
This map shows the location of part of the Caledonia Iron Works. US 30 (The Lincoln Highway) leads to Chambersburg on the left (west) and Gettysburg to the right (east). The Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop is on the north side of US 30 and just to the right (east) of the Rocky Mountain Road. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Wednesday, August 5, 2009.
This map shows the location of where our videos were produced on the Thaddeus Stevens Iron Works. Video #1 was taken on the south side of US Highway 30, southeast of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop. Video #2 was taken east of the Blacksmith Shop. Video #3 was taken in the Blacksmith Shop. Video #4 was taken west of the Blacksmith Shop. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:00 PM on Wednesday, August 5, 2009.
In Video #1 Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver is standing near US 30 (Chambersburg-Gettysburg Pike) at Caledonia State Park on South Mountain. The white building behind Dave is known as the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop. Dave discusses the destruction of the Caledonia Iron Works by Jubal Early’s Confederates on June 26, 1863. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
Licensed Battlefield Guide Dave Weaver is now standing northeast of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
In the 1860s this area consisted of more than a few buildings on approximately 18,000 acres. This wayside explains a little of the burning of the iron works by Jubal Early’s Confederates on June 26, 1863. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
A closer view of the wayside. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
We’ll take a walk around the “blacksmith shop.” This is the back of the structure. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This view was taken facing west at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
A very bad image of the building that is now the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop and other structures in the background. This view was taken facing northeast circa the late 1860s.
A similar view of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop as the previous photograph. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
A view of some of the structures located at the Caledonia Iron Works in the 1860s. The structure labeled “shop area” is where the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop is now located.
Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick is standing northeast of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
In Video #2 Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick introduces us to Thaddeus Stevens and the Caledonia Iron Works. The Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop is in the background. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
Ross Hetrick is standing inside of the Thaddeus Stevens Blacksmith Shop. The stove by which he is standing was made at the Caledonia Iron Works. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
In Video #3 Ross Hetrick shows us the inside of the Blacksmith Shop, and some items made at the Caledonia Iron Works. This view was taken facing northeast to southwest to northeast to northeast to southeast to west at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The northwest interior of the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The northeast interior of the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
A closer look at the bellows in the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The southeast interior of the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The display of tools on the east wall of the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The display of tools on the south wall of the blacksmith shop. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The water trough. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This display on the west wall of the blacksmith shop shows some of the items produced at the Caledonia Iron Works. This view was taken facing west at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
This stove was made at the Caledonia Iron Works circa the 1840s. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The top of the lid found and probably made at the Caledonia Iron Works. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
The bottom of the lid found and probably made at the Caledonia Iron Works. This view was taken facing north at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
Thaddeus Stevens Society President Ross Hetrick is holding pieces of “slag” found at Caledonia State Park. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
In Video #4 Ross Hetrick explains what “slag” is and shows us some samples found at Caledonia State Park. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
During smelting, when iron ore is exposed to high temperatures, impurities that are separated from the molten metal can be removed. The collection of compounds that is removed is the slag. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009.
Today, slag has many commercial uses, and is rarely discarded. It is often reprocessed to separate any other metals that it may contain. The remnants of this recovery can be used in railroad track ballast, and as fertilizer. It has been used as a road base material and as a cheap and durable means of roughening sloping faces of seawalls to help arrest the movement of waves. Blocks of slag have also been used in the construction of retaining walls and foundations. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 2, 2009. To see other posts by Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guides, click here.