Open House at Eagle Ironworks at Curtin Village

CURTIN — The second day of a two-day open house was held today at Curtin Village near Howard, a series of guided tours through the Curtin Mansion and the Eagle Ironworks.

Curtin Village is a state-owned historical site that is maintained by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.  In the Curtin Mansion, visitors toured two floors of the restored home, built by Roland Curtin in 1830. The Federal-style home has retained much of it original beauty, including its original floors, woodwork and staircase, as well as many of its windows. It has ten fireplaces and 15 rooms, most of which are furnished with antiques and furniture from the time period of 1830 to 1850.

Curtin Village was part of a large iron plantation operated by the Roland Curtin family from 1810 to 1921.  The buildings have been preserved so that visitors can gain insights into how the Curtin ironmasters and their families lived, how iron was produced and the nature of the jobs of ironworkers.

The Curtin family is famous for more that the Eagle Ironworks.  Roland Curtin’s son, Andrew, was the first Republican governor of the State of Pennsylvania.  He governed the state during the Civil War.  It was Governor Andrew Curtin, a personal friend of President Abraham Lincoln, who suggested that Gettysburg be recognized as a national cemetery. Governor Curtin was present when Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address.
Guided tours are available Saturday and Sunday from the first weekend in June through the last weekend in October.  Small group tours are available by reservation.  Please call 814-355-1982 or 814-355-4071 or visit www.curtinvillage.com.