Ms. Sypher, et al:

        You may interested to know that our collection holds what
may be the largest collection of the Sterling ironworks papers, that
is, the Sterling Forge and Furnace Co.. The Papers are in about 9
lin. ft. of boxes and date from ca. 1740 to 1900. There is an item
level guide to the collection available for $.25 per photocopy
page.  We also have the papers of the Sterling Iron and Railway Co.,
1865-1888 in four boxes.

        Just thought you might like to know.

                                Jim Corsaro

James Corsaro
Associate Librarian
Manuscripts and Special Collections
New York State Library
Empire State Plaza
Albany, New York  12230
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
(518) 474-5963


On Fri, 14 Nov 1997, Sallie Sypher wrote:

> To everyone interested in the historic iron industry:
>
> During the past two years, a group of historians, preservationists and iron
> buffs have joined together to create the Highlands Iron Conservancy (HIC).
> The organization is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the historic iron
> industry in the Hudson Highlands region of New York, New Jersey, and
> Pennsylvania, also known as the "Reading Prong".  We want to contact people
> who may share our interests, who would like to help HIC, or who may need
> help from us.
>
> The Highlands Iron Conservancy, Inc., brings together dedicated people who
> are already working hard to preserve individual iron sites and the story of
> Highlands iron and iron workers.  We are looking at the iron industry itself
> - its mines, forges, furnaces and foundries.  We are also concerned with the
> fuels (charcoal and anthracite) used in smelting and in the transportation
> of iron and fuel by wagon, rail, canalboat and ship.  We are interested in
> the mining communities, their churches, schools, and families, as well as
> their cultural and social lives.  If any of these subjects also interest
> you, let us know.
>
> We are not asking for money!  But we might ask you to provide us with
> information about a particular site with which you are familiar, about
> repositories with collections that have related material, or about the iron
> industry in a particular county.  In New York, we are most concerned in
> Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Putnam, Dutchess, and Columbia counties.  HIC is
> in the beginning stages of developing a database of iron sites and another
> of historic records that we want to make accessible on the "net".  We are
> working to preserve iron sites and to find appropriate repositories for
> historic records that are now inaccessible to scholars.
>
> We will not try to duplicate the work already being done by existing
> organizations in the region.  Rather, it is HIC's intention to support
> existing groups, to lend them aid and expertise, and to provide tools to
> further their missions.
>
> If you would like to be kept informed about HIC, would like our help, or
> have expertise or information that might help us, please let us know.  You
> may contact me via E-mail or snail mail at the address below; the president,
> Stephen M. Gross, at 71 Colonial Ave., Warwick NY 10990; or the secretary,
> Dr. Michelle Figliomeni at the Orange County Historical Society, Clove
> Furnace, Arden NY 10910.  We would really like to hear from those of you who
> share our interest in the historic iron industry.
>
> Sallie Sypher
> 25 Robert's Drive
> Putnam Valley NY 10579
> (914) 528-7895
> [log in to unmask]
>