Welcome!

The Schuylkill River Heritage Center is an historic gateway to northern Chester County that provides information about places of interest to visit throughout the county. It also highlights the Schuylkill Riverā€™s resources from Pottsville to Philadelphia.

Historic artifacts and large murals showcase the industrial legacy of the Schuylkill River and the former Phoenix Iron and Steel company. Constantly running videos give visitors a comprehensive overview of the regionā€™s resources and its history.

The Phoenix Iron Company Foundry, built in 1882, is home to the Schuylkill River Heritage Center. We are open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am-3pm. On First Fridays, we are also open from 5:30pm-7:30pm.

Virtual Museum Tour – Part 1

Virtual Museum Tour – Part 2

 

News & Events

Winter Newsletter 2024

Our Winter Newsletter highlights the Schuylkill River Heritage Center fall events and programs. During the Heritage Award Celebration 2023, we honored the Hankin Group for their extraordinary accomplishment in transforming the major portion of the Foundry Building into a a unique and historic place to have a special event. Download a printable copy ofĀ  Newsletter […]

Pennsylvania Railroad, Trenton Cut-Off Bridge,

Crossing the Schuylkill River: Two Centuries of Bridge Building

Justin M. Spivey is a licensed professional engineer with a passion for railroads, bridges, and rowhouses. He is a Fellow of the Association for Preservation Technology International and vice chair of its Delaware Valley Chapter. He has also documented dozens of bridges in Pennsylvania, Chicago, and Texas for the National Park Serviceā€™s Historic American Engineering […]

Chester County Trails Master Plan

Stephen Buck is the Trail Planner who serves on the Chester County Planning Commission. He will share information about upcoming trail projects and the development of the Chester County Trails Master Plan Tuesday, November 14th, 2023 at 7:30 PM This event will be held at the Foundry, located at 2 Main St. in Phoenixville. Admission […]

Discover the Foundryā€™s History

Learn the history of the Foundry building and its place in Phoenixville since 1882.

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Explore the Past Along the River

Travel the Schuylkill River and explore scenes from its industrial past, learn how the river plays an important role in the development of the area.

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Historical Significance

Samuel Reeves’ designs for the Phoenix Column Tower (the Centennial Tower) became the inspiration for the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Download the Free App

Schuylkill River Heritage Center

This history/geography app will give you the opportunity to learn about our area as you are driving, hiking, or biking. Included are points of interest from Valley Forge National Historical Park along the Schuylkill River to Spring City and Royersford. It includes all of the Phoenixville Borough, Schuylkill, East Pikeland, Charlestown, and West Pikeland Townships. It includes photography and descriptive information of more than 80 historic places in the region.