Glendon Iron Works

Season 3, Episode 6 Lehigh Valley Landmarks AKA Landmarks With Leon

Glendon Iron Works

What if a quiet hiking trail in Easton once roared with one of America’s earliest anthracite iron furnaces? In 1844, English ironmaster William Firmstone fired up the Glendon Iron Works, helping prove that Pennsylvania’s anthracite coal could fuel a new industrial revolution. At its peak, Glendon produced more than 58,000 tons of pig iron a year—before changing technology brought the furnaces to a final stop. Today, hikers pass over the foundations and slag piles left behind. Listen to Landmarks with Leon and discover the forgotten ironworks that helped forge the Lehigh Valley.