Company Store and Office at Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Historical Furnace Village Main Page

Like many industrial and agricultural plantations, Hopewell Furnace operated a company store where workers could purchase food, tools, animal feed, and other goods that were needed on a daily basis. Workers were not paid in cash but were instead credited for their labor in the company ledgers. Any store purchases were deducted from their credit. (Employees could request cash at any time as long as they had a positive balance.) All of the accounting was handled by the company clerk, so it was very convenient that he had his office in the store. In addition to keeping track of payroll and store purchases, he also kept records of orders, production, and sales, and paid all company bills.

Unlike many other company stores that inflated prices, running many workers into debts they could only pay off by continuing to work, the Hopewell Furnace store charged prices in line with other stores in the area. Workers were under no obligation to buy from the store, but the fair prices and convenience made it many employee’s first choice when it came to purchasing goods.

The store is furnished as it might have been between 1820 and 1840 when Hopewell Furnace was at its peak production. A collection of Hopewell Furnace stoves is also on display inside the store (you can see more stoves in the Visitor Center).