Phoenix Iron Works (Phoenixville, Pennsylvania)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Iron and steel manufacturing |
| Predecessor | Phoenix Iron Company |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Founder | Robert Waln (acquired in 1812) |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Fate | Ceased steel manufacturing; facilities sold and repurposed |
| Successor | Phoenix Steel Corporation; CitiSteel (Claymont plant) |
| Headquarters | Phoenixville, Pennsylvania , United States |
Area served | United States, international bridge markets (Chile, Russia, China, Brazil) |
Key people | Daniel Reeves (owner), Samuel Reeves (inventor of Phoenix Column) |
| Products | Iron and steel products including Griffen Gun, Phoenix column, iron rails, wrought iron fencing, steel goods |
The Phoenix Iron Works, originally founded in 1855 as the Phoenix Iron Company and later renamed Phoenix Iron & Steel Company in 1949 before becoming Phoenix Steel Corporation in 1955, was headquartered in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. It stood as a leading producer of iron and related materials throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. During the American Civil War, the firm played a crucial role by supplying cannon to the Union Army. Additionally, it was responsible for creating the groundbreaking Phoenix column, which significantly advanced construction materials technology. The company’s facilities are integral components of the Phoenixville Historic District, a site listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated as a historic landmark by ASM International.
History
Established in 1790 with an initial focus on nail manufacturing, the enterprise was acquired in 1812 by Robert Waln, an industrialist from New Jersey. Under his ownership, Phoenix Iron Company expanded its production to include pig iron, wrought iron, and a variety of iron goods. The manufacturing complex featured a substantial blast furnace, a puddling furnace, foundry operations, warehouses, and necessary support structures. In 1825, it became one of the first to generate steam power utilizing anthracite coal. Engineers at the company also developed a power-driven rolling technique for welding and forging wrought iron, which facilitated the manufacture of cannon for the U.S. military.
Over time, the company adapted its business model alongside industrial advancements but suffered decline parallel to Pennsylvania’s steel industry downturn in the late 20th century. Production at Phoenixville ceased by 1984. In 1986, Phoenix Steel Corporation announced the shutdown of its Claymont, Delaware facilities. By 1987, steel manufacturing operations had ended and workforce reductions followed. The Claymont plant was sold in 1988 to CITIC, a Chinese state-owned investment group, for $13 million. This new ownership created CitiSteel, which invested $25 million to transform the facility into a modern high-capacity "minimill," shifting focus from specialty low-volume steels to mass production employing advanced technologies.
In 1998, the original Phoenixville building was purchased by the Phoenixville Area Economic Development Corporation (PAEDCO). With guidance from the National Park Service, PAEDCO restored the exterior and established the Schuylkill River Heritage Center inside the historic Foundry Building to preserve and present the company’s industrial heritage. Later in 2006, The Hankin Group acquired this Foundry property with plans to develop it into an event venue.
By 2012, most of the original Phoenix Steel structures had been demolished; only the former foundry and office buildings remained intact after restoration and adaptive reuse.
Products
Beyond manufacturing the Griffen Gun and Phoenix Column, the company supplied iron rails utilized by the Pennsylvania Railroad and other eastern railroads. It also produced wrought iron for fencing, decorative home elements, and various steel goods. A significant application of their puddled iron was in the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
Griffen Gun
In 1855, John Griffen Jr. (1812-1884) designed the Griffen Gun while working at Safe Harbor Iron Works in Pennsylvania. That same year, Phoenix Iron Works commenced production of six-pounder smoothbore artillery pieces bearing Griffen’s name. Hundreds were manufactured before the company transitioned to different artillery models in 1861. Owner Daniel Reeves made substantial investments to upgrade the facility, establishing the firm as a prominent iron and steel manufacturer in the United States.
During the Civil War, Phoenix Iron Works produced more than 1,000 Griffen-designed 3-inch Ordnance rifles—accounting for most of the over 1,400 rifles procured by the Union Army. Their distinctive rolling technique yielded wrought iron barrels that were more resistant to bursting than rival cast iron barrels. At peak output, the plant was capable of producing fifty rifles each week.
Numerous Griffen guns remain preserved within private collections and historic locations such as Gettysburg Battlefield, often identified by the "PIC" (Phoenix Iron Company) marking on their muzzles.
Phoenix column
Samuel Reeves patented the Phoenix Column in 1862. This innovation consisted of a hollow cylinder assembled from four to eight riveted wrought iron segments. The design offered a lighter yet stronger alternative to solid cast iron columns available at that time. This advancement allowed for taller buildings on narrow city lots and contributed significantly to the evolution of skyscrapers and bridges by enhancing load-bearing efficiency.
Phoenix Bridge Company
The invention of the Phoenix column spurred the foundation of a construction subsidiary initially called Clarke, Reeves & Co., later renamed Phoenixville Bridge Works, and eventually known as the Phoenix Bridge Company. This enterprise constructed roughly 4,200 bridges, predominantly wrought iron truss railway bridges. Prominent projects included New York’s Manhattan Bridge, Harrisburg’s Walnut Street Bridge in Pennsylvania, and the Calhoun Street Bridge connecting Trenton, New Jersey, with Morrisville, Pennsylvania. The company’s reach extended internationally to countries such as Chile, Russia, and China. In 1900, Phoenix Bridge secured the contract for Quebec Bridge spanning the St. Lawrence River; however, this structure collapsed during construction in 1907. Although this incident damaged its standing, the company continued operations until 1962. Several of its bridges are now listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Noteworthy projects include:
- Boston University Bridge (1927), linking Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts
- Bridges located in West Fallowfield Township and Upper Frederick Township, Pennsylvania
- Brocton Arch situated in Brocton, New York
- County Line Bowstring bridge over West Creek in Kansas
- Etters Bridge spanning Fairview Township and Lower Allen Township, Pennsylvania
- Phoenix Bridge near Eagle Rock, Virginia
- Trenton City/Calhoun Street Bridge crossing the Delaware River between Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Trenton, New Jersey
- Mill City Oregon Railroad Bridge (featuring Phoenix Column design), originally built in 1888; currently a pedestrian bridge undergoing restoration
- Dingman's Ferry Bridge (1900), connecting Pennsylvania and New Jersey using Phoenix columns
- Raven Rock Road Bridge (1878), located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Internationally significant constructions include:
- Complexo FEPASA railway workshop shed in Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil (acquired 1890)
- Recife’s bridge over Brazil’s Capibaribe River (constructed 1884)
The Phoenix Bridge Company’s strategy centered on capitalizing on its patented structural innovations to dominate both domestic and international railway bridge markets. Its leadership successfully navigated expansion opportunities alongside reputational challenges following high-profile project setbacks.
See also
References
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention & Innovation
- Cole, Philip, The 3" Ordnance Rifle, CHARGE! magazine, Issue 13, 2006
- Hazlett, James C.; Olmstead, Edwin; Parks, M. Hume; Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War. University of Illinois Press, 2004
- Martino, Vincent Jr.; Phoenixville. Arcadia Publishing, 2002
External links
- HAER surveys documenting facilities related to Phoenix Iron Works
- Project listings of Phoenix Bridge Company on Structurae
- Design album of Phoenixville Bridge-Works / Clarke, Reeves & Co., 1873
- Design album of Phoenix Bridge Company: successors to Clarke, Reeves & Co., Phoenixville Bridge Works., 1885
- Companies based in Chester County, Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania in the American Civil War
- American companies established in 1790
- History of science and technology in the United States
- Bridge companies
- Historic American Engineering Record in Pennsylvania
- 1790 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Construction and civil engineering companies of the United States
- 1812 establishments in Pennsylvania
- Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1812
- American companies established in 1812
- Manufacturing companies established in 1790
- Defunct manufacturing companies based in Pennsylvania
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment