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The Brandywine Mansion
One of Coatesville's oldest buildings and perhaps it most historic. The blue and gold marker was placed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1985 commemorating Lukens' 175th Anniversary. The earliest portion was built in the mid 1700's by the Fleming Family, early owners of record of land in what is now Coatesville. The property was purchased by Moses Coates in 1787. Coates, for whom the City is named, built the larger section of the house to the west. Farmer, inventor and the area's first postmaster, Coates is believed to have entertained President George Washington here as he passed through this area to Philadelphia in October, 1794. In 1810 Coates sold the property to his son-on-law, Jesse Kersey and Kersey's partner Isaac Pennock. A saw mill on the property was converted to an ironworks under Pennock's direction and called the Brandywine Iron Works & Nail Factory. This fledgling business was the beginning of Lukens Steel Company. In 1813, Pennock's daughter, Rebecca Webb Pennock married Dr. Charles Lukens, who joined his father-in-law in the iron business. Charles and Rebecca Lukens moved into this house about 1816, as Dr. Lukens assumed management of the young mill. It was Dr. Lukens who began the company's manufacturing of boiler place, about 1818. Following his untimely death in 1825, his widow Rebecca assumed management of the mill, despite family opposition and a multitude of problems. She proved to be a most capable businesswoman and achieved much success, becoming in the process, Coatesville's most celebrated historic figure. She lived in the Brandywine Mansion until her death in 1854 at age 60. The larger commercial section was added in the early 1920's for the Lukens Employees Store, which remained in operation until 1992. The property is now owned by Bethlehem Steel Corporation.
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