Penfield Foundation Museum in Crown Point, Essex County, United States | Museum

Welcome to the Penfield Foundation Museum, Crown Point, New York, United States.

Located in Crown Point, New York State, is the Penfield Foundation Museum, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to preserving the history of the Iron working Industry in the North Country during the 19th century. This hamlet is listed as the "Birthplace of the Electric Age", being the site of the first industrial application of electricity in the United States. This area was instrumental to modern progress and to the efforts in the Civil War.

At Penfield Foundation Museum the Homestead houses the main Museum with behind it the carriage barn. Here you will see a collection of the transportation that was used during this period including an unusual, rubber wheeled carriage that traveled to Boston, MA and a horse drawn hearse. Behind the carriage barn are the cow and horse barns and the blacksmiths shop. The smoke house is just in front of the Carriage Barn and just out of the photo to the left looking across the street from the porch of the Homestead, you see the church that served for many years as the religious guidance of this community. Inside, you will find an organ that still works with a foot pump and wood heat from a stove. The church is very reminiscent of the Puritan Heritage that is prevalent in this area. Now part of the Penfield Foundation, the Church is used for special events. To the right of the church, you can just see Penfield Pond. Finally, no tour of the grounds would be complete without a brief stop at the monument on the front lawn. Here is a tribute to Col. Penfield's faithful war horse, Billy. This steed survived many battles of the Civil War and was a favorite of his master. Billy's final resting place is on the grounds in a back pasture, identified with a small marker.

The Electromagnet Separates Iron Ore - In his study of the Crown Point Iron Industry, Dr. Eugene Barker writes about the separating of iron from ore.