Brandywine Mansion
Lukens Historic District
The small house known as Brandywine Mansion is the oldest structure in the Lukens National Historic District. The original east section, closer to the road, dates back to the mid 1700s and the larger west section was added around 1788, shortly after the property was sold the Moses Coates. It is believed that President George Washington stopped at Brandywine Mansion in 1794 en route to Philadelphia after quelling the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. Moses Coates sold the house and 110.5 acres to Jesse Kersey and ironmaster Isaac Pennock in 1810. Mr. Pennock converted the farms sawmill into a rolling mill and his business, Brandywine Iron Works & Nail Factory, was the beginning of Lukens Steel Company. Mr. Pennock’s daughter, Rebecca, and her husband, Dr. Charles Lukens, moved to Brandywine Mansion in 1816. Together they began restructuring the mill to role plate iron by 1818. After Charles Lukens’ death in 1825, Rebecca assumed management of the mill; thus she is credited as being America's first and most prominent female industrialist. She continued to live in Brandywine Mansion until her death in 1854.
Marker is at the intersection of South 1st Avenue and West Maple Street, on the right on South 1st Avenue.
Courtesy hmdb.org
