Joppa Iron Works

Joppa Iron Works

Company type	Private
Industry	Ironworks, manufacturing, distilling
Founded	1817 (1817)
Founder	Joseph Patterson, Edward Patterson
Defunct	1865 (1865)
Fate	Ceased iron works operations; converted to whiskey distillery
Headquarters	Baltimore County , United States
Products	Nails (initially); later whiskey (as distillery)

The Joppa Iron Works, also referred to as Patterson's Iron Works, was established around 1817 by Joseph and Edward Patterson from Baltimore. These brothers were siblings of Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte, who was married into the family of Napoleon I of France.

Construction

Positioned along the falls-line of the Big Gunpowder River in the eastern part of Baltimore County, Maryland, the facility initially specialized in slitting and manufacturing nails. Located approximately below what is now known as Maryland Route 7, the operation eventually included six puddling furnaces, a single heating furnace, and 37 nail machines powered by water.

Conversion into a whiskey distillery

Following Edward Patterson's passing, the iron works ceased operations around 1865. The site was then purchased by the Loreley Distilling Company, which produced whiskey there until Prohibition mandated its shutdown. In 1933, ownership transferred to Frank L. Wight Distilling Co., which subsequently sold it to Hiram Walker & Sons of Canada in 1941. Production ended in 1948 when distilling activities were relocated to their facility in Peoria, Illinois.

Remnants on the site

Today, only a few traces remain: a mill race, stone foundations, iron fasteners, and an old mooring ring from a ship embedded within rocks. Additionally, slag from the furnaces can still be found nearby. In 1970, Maryland's Department of Forest & Parks acquired the land, incorporating it into Gunpowder State Park.

External links

• Perry Hall: The Gunpowder River – Baltimore County Public Library History and Genealogy InfoCenter

References

• McGrain, John W. (1985) "From Pig Iron to Cotton Duck, Volume 1." Towson, MD: Baltimore Co., pp. 212–214.