Birdsboro was named for ironmaker William Bird, who established a forge on Hay Creek about 1740. His son, Marcus, founded Hopewell Furnace in 1771. Edward and George Brooke, later owners of Hopewell Furnace, established the Birdsboro Iron Foundry Company (1867), which became Birdsboro Steel Company (1905). The principal employer in the borough, the steel plant closed in 1988, following a lengthy strike. Find echoes of the industrial past, as you explore this historical borough.