Washington Furnace, part of the Hanging Rock Iron Furnace region in Lawrence County, Ohio, was built in 1853.
Washington Furnace, part of the Hanging Rock Iron Furnace region in Lawrence County, Ohio, was built in 1853 by John Campbell. 1 2 3 4 5 The furnace was co-owned by W.M. Bowles, John Campbell, Samuel McConnel, Thomas McGovney, and John and Isaac Peters, with William Colvin as its manager. It featured a 34-foot high stack and an 11-foot wide bosh. The furnace, which used charcoal for fuel, had a hot air blast system driven by a steam engine, enabling it to produce 17 tons of iron daily. In 1857, over a period of 37 weeks, Washington Furnace produced 1,967 tons of iron.
Isaac Peters, one of the co-owners, is particularly noteworthy for his involvement in the administration of several other local furnaces, including Greenup, Honeywell, Monroe, Pine Grove, and Vernon.
Directions: Washington Furnace is located along Irish Hollow Road in Blackfork, Ohio.
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Sources
- Rowe, Frank H. “Franklin Furnace.” History of the Iron and Steel Industry in Scioto County, Ohio. Columbus: F.J. Heer, 1938. 80-82. Print.
- Markiel, J. Old Industry 2006. Articles.
- Kouns, Sharon M. “Iron Furnaces.” The Lawrence Register.
- Willard, Eugene B., Daniel W. Williams, George O. Newman, and Charles B. Taylor. “The Iron Industries.” A Standard History of the Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio. Lewis Publishing Company, 1916, pp. 265-289.
- “Washington Furnace.” Briggs Lawrence County Public Library.
