The Eagle Iron Works and Curtain Village received grant funds from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau to help improve access and increase an herb garden that is four decades old.

Founded by Irish immigrant Roland Curtin and Pennsylvania native Moses Boggs, Eagle Iron Works and its employees produced and processed iron from 1810 through 1921. From 1831 onward, the 15-room Federal-style ironmaster’s “big house” known as “Curtin Mansion” was home to four generations of Curtin ironmasters and their families. Most notable is family member and Civil War Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin, the son of founder Roland Curtin. A fire destroyed Eagle Furnace in 1921 and brought an end to ironmaking at Eagle Iron Works – Pennsylvania’s last operational charcoal ironmaking facility.

Nestled within the foundation walls of the ironmaster’s office building (now gone) are the remnants of an herb garden that was established over four decades ago. This mini-grant project is designed to re-lay the existing flagstone pathway on a new limestone sand base to eliminate accessibility hazards, improve the soil conditions and plant additional herbs where needed. The restoration project merges history, nature and local volunteer involvement to enhance visitor experiences and enrich the site's educational and historical value.

Restoration of the herb garden will transform a long-admired but neglected feature on the grounds of Eagle Iron Works and Curtin Village and open up exciting opportunities for expanded site interpretation. Programming that highlights the importance of herbs and their connection to local traditions, hands-on workshops, culinary demonstrations, herb talks, and youth engagement activities not only enrich visitor experiences but also strengthen the site’s public education and community outreach efforts.

Family friendly guided tours occur on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month from June through September. The tours begin at 2 PM and last 75-90 minutes. You will tour the Curtin Mansion and the iron works complex. Learn about iron making in 19th-century Pennsylvania, the architecture of the mansion, Curtin family history, and life of the workers on this historic iron plantation from our knowledgeable volunteer guides -- who are often dressed in period attire. PRIVATE group tours are available for a small donation.

For more information, visit Curtin Village online.