Clear Creek Furnace, Kentucky
Posted by: 
Simplenfun
N 38° 03.001 W 083° 35.362
17S E 272796 N 4214530
This is one of several old iron furnaces in Kentucky.
Waymark Code: WM4DMM
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 08/09/2008
Views: 34
In the 1800's, America was in need of iron for everything from household pots to wheels for trains. The remains of a blast furnace dominate the site at the picnic area. This furnace produced an average of 3 tons of iron a day devouring half an acre of trees in the process. The Kentucky hillsides, rich in natural resources, not only provided the iron ore but also provided the necessary limestone and trees used in the iron making process.Hand-cut limestone, stacked 40 feet tall with an inside diameter of 10 1/2 feet, make up the chimney - the core of the iron making process.
A small village complete with a store, school, laundry service and church once sat on this site. Get out and explore the area, where might the old wagons have traveled? Where would the water channel have been that was used to power the magnificent bellows, imagine the noise of the furnace and above it the sound of children playing.
Type of Oven / Kiln: Iron
Status: Historical Site
Operating Dates: 1839-1875
Website: [Web Link]
Additional Coordinate: Not Listed
Additional Coordinate Description: Not listed
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