Historic Ironville
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Quietly nestled in the hills west of Crown Point, the hamlet of Ironville maintains an important industrial legacy that is embodied in its phenomenal collection of historic buildings and structures. The discovery of iron ore near Ironville’s Penfield homestead in the late 1820s led to the development of a thriving ironworks. In the early 1830s, Allen Penfield engaged physicist Joseph Henry to supply an electromagnet for the works, which was used to charge a magnetic ore separator that removed iron from crushed ore. This represented the earliest known industrial use of electromagnetism in the United States, lending to Ironville’s distinction as the “Birthplace of the Electric Age.” On this outing, we will see a replica of Joseph Henry’s electromagnet exhibited at the 1827 Penfield Homestead, as well as the neighboring collection of early Federal and Greek Revival buildings that comprise the Ironville Historic District. In the afternoon, we will examine the ruins of the blast furnace, original lower dam sites, and other notable remnants of this early industrial iron operation.
This tour is led by Essex County Historical Society Trustee Pete Nelson and dedicated volunteers from the Penfield Homestead Museum. The tour begins at 10 AM and ends around 3 PM.
The fee is $65 for AARCH members and Adirondack History Museum members and $80 for non-members.
Please note that this tour includes up to three miles of walking on uneven, hilly terrain, and involves navigating stairs.