Kent Iron Furnace - Kent, CT
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 41° 44.313 W 073° 28.217
18T E 627206 N 4621879
The Kent Iron Furnace is located on the site of the rounds of the Sloane-Stanley Museum at 31 Kent-Cornwall Road (US Route 7) in Kent, CT.
Waymark Code: WMP8JV
Location: Connecticut, United States
Date Posted: 07/19/2015
Views: 3
The restored and reinforced Kent Iron Furnace is a 30' high structure made of various size granite blocks that was used for the production of pig iron for 68 years between 1825 and 1892. During this time period the upper Housatonic River Valley and was a major producer of iron in the nation. Several of these structures still dot the landscape in western Massachusetts and Connecticut.
When the furnace was operational a tall frame building was constructed above the furnace so that the necessary ingredients for making pig iron, charcoal, iron ore and limestone, could be loaded into the furnace from the top. It took approximately 138 bushels of charcoal, 2,612 pounds of ore, and 432 pounds of limestone flux to make one ton of pig iron.
These furnaces were operated 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In 1870 it was reported that the Kent furnace produced 50 tons of pig iron in a week. Much of the iron was used for the production of car wheels for growing railroad industry.
There is an admission charge for the Sloane-Stanley Museum but you can visit the Kent Iron Furnace anytime at no charge.
Street address:
31 Kent-Cornwall Road (Route 7)
Kent, CT United States
County / Borough / Parish: Litchfield
Year listed: 1977
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Industry; Archeology - Non-Aboriginal
Periods of significance: 1875-1899; 1850-1874; 1825-1849
Historic function: Manufacturing facility
Current function: Museum
Privately owned?: no
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 2: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
|
Visit Instructions:
Please give the date and brief account of your visit. Include any additional observations or information that you may have, particularly about the current condition of the site. Additional photos are highly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|