Texas Civil War Iron Works
N 31° 54.438 W 095° 23.160
15R E 274374 N 3532644
West of Jacksonville, TX on US 90 this historical marker is outside the fence among some brush and trees around a driveway. It makes more sense when you see it.
Waymark Code: WM18FH1
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 07/25/2023
Views: 7
As the THC printout of this historical marker says: "About 8 miles west of Jacksonville on US 79. On south side, west of CR 3223 and Walnut Branch." This will put you in the right spot to use the posted coordinates to find the marker along the chain link fence. There are some sapling trees growing wild on either side of this marker, so it is difficult to see when driving by in a car. This marker is next to the driveway of private property but the marker itself is on US 79's right of way, so you can approach the plaque without violating property rights.
This marker gives insights about the Southern Confederacy's methods of mining and purifying iron oar during the Civil War years. One of the iron oar smelting units had been built at or near this location. The oar was was dug locally, the charcoal was made from local trees, and the limestone was mined from local hillsides. Of course, being in Texas, one hundred slaves brought from Louisiana were forced to do all the heavy and hot labor at just this iron works ... and 15 other small iron works were in area.
Marker Number: 6825
Marker Text:
To make farm and kitchen tools need in wartime, Chapel Hill Manufacturing Co. in 1863 set up plant on this site, processing native iron; used Cherokee limestone to purify the ore. Nearby hardwood supplied charcoal.
Crew included 100 Louisiana slaves. Ore from hilltop was fed through smokestack into furnaces on lower ground. Slag caught in furnace grates. Melted iron fell through and was cast into molds. Plant had associated sawmills, brickyards and commissary -- freighting goods from Mexico.
By the 1880's, at least 16 iron works operated in east Texas. (1965)
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