Pine Forge (Berks County, Pa.)

Pine Forge, one of the earliest iron works in Pennsylvania, was built by Thomas Rutter (1680-1752) on Manatawny Creek in Berks County in 1720. Control passed by marriage to John Potts (1710-1768) and thence to his son-in-law and nephew David Potts, Jr. (c1742-1782). During the late 1750s and 1760s it was rented to Thomas May (1731-1792) and later to Thomas Walker. With David Potts's death, the forge passed to Samuel Potts and Thomas Rutter and then to David Rutter (1766-1817). The forge was abandoned sometime after 1817, but the property remained in the Rutter family until 1843. The new owners demolished the forge and erected a rolling mill.