Solitude House

Solitude House, the superintendent of the Union Iron Works' home.

The Germanic-style stone home, built in 1712, was part of a 10,000-acre parcel that later became part of the Union Iron Works. William Allen and Joseph Turner established the Union Iron Works to produce horseshoes, farm implements, and chimney firebacks; it produced 500 to 1,000 tons of iron per year. During the Revolutionary War, the ironworks became vital to the military effort because it produced items such as cannonballs and rifle barrels. Two Loyalists were imprisoned at Solitude House: John Penn, Pennsylvania's last royal governor, and his Chief Justice, Benjamin Chew. They remained here for seven months beginning in 1777. Revolutionary War figures who visited Solitude House include George and Martha Washington, General Lafayette, Colonel Charles Stewart, and Aaron Burr.