Meetings & Events Archive

PINE GROVE: CONNECTING GEOLOGY AND HUMAN HISTORY

Location: Pine Grove Furnace State Park

Dr. Noel Potter (retired, Dickinson College) and Dr. Helen Delano (DCNR-Bureau of Topographic and Geologic Survey) explored the intersection of geology and human history by revisiting the historic iron industry at Pine Grove Furnace. The South Mountain landscape was ideally situated to support a robust iron industry: the underlying geology provided raw ore, and the surrounding forests offered a seemingly endless supply of fuel for transforming the ore into iron. This geology influenced and shaped human history, as for over 100 years it supported a thriving iron industry. This event was hosted in conjunction with the Cumberland County Historical Society to celebrate the Society’s summer exhibit, “Pine Grove: A Lasting Legacy.”