Hopewell Furnace had an apple orchard as far back as 1788. In fact, there were multiple orchards, both peach and apple, at various times. The orchard that exists today near the upper level of the Visitor Center parking lot was started in the early 1940s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, an organization designed to put men back to work during the Great Depression. The CCC built many of the nation’s parks, both state and national, including French Creek State Park and what eventually became Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. The National Park Service planted additional apple trees in 1960.
Today the Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site orchard has roughly 150 trees consisting of 33 varieties of apples, and all are available for picking by visitors to the park. Some varieties are ready as early as July, but most become ripe in September and October. See the National Park Service’s Apple Orchard web page for a list of apples and seasons.
There is a small charge per pound. Apple picking equipment—buckets and picking poles—is available for use.
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Last updated on June 11, 2024