Foster Falls Furnace - Max Meadows, VA - Preserved Architectural Remnants and Ruins on Waymarking.com

The NRHP Nomination form linked below lists the Foster Falls Furnace as a contributing building to the Foster Falls Historic District. It describes it as:
"The remains of the furnace consist mostly of the massive stone furnace stack, pyramidal in dimensions, topped with a round brick section that is 6-7 feet tall. Part of the furnace race, through which water ran to the furnaces bellows,survives, along with the concrete platform a few feet north of the fumace structure, on which the bellows stood. The furnace was sited on the east flood plain of the New River, 535 feet from the river bank. The embankment behind the furnace is at least 20 feet high. With iron ore, charcoal fuel, and limestone flux stored at a staging area on the embankment, this plan eased the process of loading the ore, fuel and flux into the top of the furnace."

From the historical marker at the furnace:

In the 19th century, dozens of iron furnaces and forges dotted the New River Valley due to its high mineral content. The town of Foster Falls was a product of this iron industry.

The furnace built by the Foster Falls Mining and Manufacturing Co. in 1880-1881, was originally operated by water power from the New River. In 1889, the furnace was sold to the Virginia Iron Coal and Coke Co. The V.I.C increased the capacity of the furnace by eliminating the water powered bellows, replacing it with steam operated boilers - a process know then as hot blasting.

In 1887, the railroad built a dinky rail bridge across the river to the hematite ore mines, 1/4 mile above the Foster Falls station. The furnace produced 12 tons of pig iron per day. The iron was transported to manufacturing centers in St. Louis, Baltimore and Cincinnati. In 1916, the rail bridge was washed out due to flooding, ceasing iron operations.

Dinky Rail Bridge (bottom left) In 1916, the New River rose to an astounding 32 feet above flood stage. Washing out the dinky rail, thus causing the mining operation at Foster Falls to cease.

In 1940, the river left its banks rising 38 feet) above flood stage, six feet higher than re- corded in 1916.

Dinky Rail & Crew (below) A Dinky Rail was a smaller version of a steam locomotive. Dinky rails were highly popular in the mining industry, due to their narrow gauge tracks and smaller design.

Type: Remnant Fee: Yes $7 Hours: Dawn - Dusk Related URL: [Web Link]

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