, ▁Verm ont . ▁Stevens ▁began ▁operation ▁on ▁the ▁furn ace ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁a ▁noted ▁abol ition ist , ▁and ▁is ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁the ▁public ▁school ▁system ▁in ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Pennsylvania . ▁ ▁The ▁iron ▁furn ace ▁was ▁destroyed ▁during ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁by ▁the ▁Confeder ate ▁caval ry ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁General ▁J ub al ▁Early . ▁Some ▁histor ians ▁believe ▁that ▁the ▁furn ace ▁was ▁destroyed ▁not ▁just ▁to ▁slow ▁the ▁industrial ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Union ▁but ▁also ▁because ▁of ▁Stevens ' ▁views ▁oppos ing ▁sla very . ▁The ▁past ures ▁surrounding ▁the ▁furn ace ▁were ▁used ▁as ▁field ▁hosp it als ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁G ett ys burg ▁later ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁furn ace ▁was ▁re built ▁following ▁the ▁war , ▁but ▁was ▁closed ▁by ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁when ▁the ▁land ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁Commonwealth ▁of ▁Pennsylvania . ▁C aled onia ▁State ▁Park ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁land ▁was ▁le ased ▁to ▁the ▁Ch amb ers burg ▁and ▁G ett ys burg ▁T rol ley ▁Company ▁for ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁years . ▁It ▁became ▁a ▁popular ▁tour ist ▁destination ▁for ▁visitors ▁to ▁the ▁G ett ys burg ▁Battle field . ▁The ▁t rol ley ▁company ▁built ▁various ▁am usement ▁r