Speedwell Ironworks

Infobox nrhp
name =The Factory, Speedwell Village
nrhp_type = nhl

---

caption =The Factory House, birthplace of the electric telegraph
location = 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, New Jersey [ [http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceID=1454&resourceType=Building NHL Description] ]
area =
lat_degrees = 40
lat_minutes = 47
lat_seconds = 49.99
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 74
long_minutes = 28
long_seconds = 51.02
long_direction = W
locmapin = New Jersey
built = 1837
architect =
architecture =
designated= May 30, 1974cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1454&ResourceType=Building
title=The Factory, Speedwell Village |accessdate=2007-10-20|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service]
added = September 13, 1974
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
refnum = 74001186 [Nrhp source1|NJ|Morris|state3]
mpsub =
governing_body =

Speedwell Ironworks was an ironworks just north of Morristown, New Jersey on Speedwell Avenue, part of U.S. Route 202. The site is most famous for being the place where Alfred Vail and Samuel Morse [ [http://www.nr.nps.gov/writeups/74001186.nl.pdf NHL Writeup] ] first demonstrated the electric telegraph, and for providing most of the machinery for the SS Savannah, first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

History

Situated at a natural gorge of the Whippany River, there is evidence of several hydraulic powered forges predating the establishment of ironworks by Stephen Vail and two business partners. Vail became sole owner of the works in 1815 and expanded it, producing a variety of agricultural and industrial machinery. The ironworks innovated the first durable iron tire for railroad locomotives in January 1836. With changing industrial trends and a decline in the flow of the Whippany River, the ironworks effectively shut down in 1873, selling its equipment to ironworks in Brooklyn, Coatbridge, Scotland. In 1908 what remained of the factory buildings burned.

Stephen Vail also bought an adjacent 40 acre lot to which he eventually retired in 1844, though it was an active retirement. The Vail Homestead or Speedwell Village, as it is now known, is the site of Historic Speedwell, a National Historic Landmark, part of the Morris county Park Commission. The site is set up as a open air 19th century farm, complete with residential buildings, a granary and carriage house.

The museum includes nine buildings furnished to depict life at Speedwell during the early 19th century. The Vail House, a historic house museum restored to 1840s period style, possesses some original family furniture and Vail memorabilia. The Wheel House houses an operational convert|24|ft|m|sing=on overshot waterwheel. The Granary displays hand-crafted wooden farm tools and ice-harvesting equipment. The Homestead Carriage House houses an exhibit on the SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, which was built at the Speedwell Ironworks, and an exhibit about the history of the ironworks. The Ford Cottage is a 19th century saltbox cottage, the Moses Estey House is an 18th century Georgian mansion, and the early 19th century L'Hommedieu-Gwinnup House houses changing exhibits and education space.

Telegraph

Of particular interest is the old Factory Building, a National Historic Landmark, which Stephen Vail had constructed for hobby purposes upon his retirement. It is the site of the first public demonstration of the electric telegraph on January 11, 1838. Although Morse and Alfred Vail had done most of the research and development in the ironworks facilities, they chose the factory house as the demonstration site. Without the repeater, the range of the telegraph was limited to two miles (3 km), and the inventors had pulled two miles (3 km) of wires inside the factory house through an elaborate scheme. The first public transmission was witnessed by a mostly local crowd.

References

External links

* [http://www.parks.morris.nj.us/speedwell/home.html Morris County Park Commission site for Historic Speedwell]
* [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/hh:@field(NUMBER+@band(NJ0703)) American Memory by the Library of Congress]
* [http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2831342590031860892VhsxMD Traveler's photos of Historic Speedwell]