Sold Out. Limited Edition New Bethlehem Dam Wood Pen

$50.00

Description

  • Limited Edition! I only have a few left. Once they’re  gone, they’re GONE!
  • Only 50 made, each being individually numbered.
  • The tree that this wood came from started to grow around 1700 on the banks of the Redbank Creek in New Bethlehem, PA.
  • Email for available numbers and other items made from this wood.
  • If this pen is not what you are looking for, I have made other pens from this wood.
  • If this isn’t exactly what you want, email me and I will see what I can do.

Pens Made of Wood from the Original New Bethlehem Dam

In about 1883, a dam was built on the Red Bank Creek to enable milling and logging operations in the young community of New Bethlehem, which had been incorporated in 1853. Logs from the surrounding area were used to build the dam. Additional work was believed to have been done on the dam in the 1930s.  Over the years, water eroded underneath the dam in some areas.  Stories are told of people fishing from and jumping off the dam and swimming underneath and in the pools around the dam.

In 2009, the dam was reconstructed and the race wall shown at the right, the center pier, deck and pier at the left were removed to provide an improved water intake system for the Redbank Valley Municipal Authority which provides drinking water to the surrounding area. The span of the dam was increased and a sluice gate was installed to help control the water flow.   Some logs were removed from the section nearest the new deck to install the water intake system and required fish ladders.  Some of the logs are shown in the picture below (viewed from the South side) during the construction process before they were removed.

These pens are individually hand-made by local artist Rich Horner of Horners Pens & Things from about 73 and 183-year old trees used to build the original dam in the 1880’s.  The darker wood is from a tree that was about 73 years old when it was used to build the dam.  The lighter wood comes from a tree that was about 183 years old when it was installed.  Those trees would have started growing in the area in about 1810 (about the time the first settlers came to the area) and in about 1700 when the area was believed to be inhabited only by Native Americans, 76 years before the Declaration of Independence.  A limited quantity of these fine collector pens are being sold– only 50. They use Cross refills and come with a certificate of authenticity and the artist’s business card in a collector’s box.

Additional information

Ballpoint

Pennsylvania wood, Twist, Wood