Iron ore was found by 1790 on Ore Hill in Lisbon (now Sugar Hill).
The Franconia Iron Furnace is New Hampshire's sole surviving example of a post Revolutionary furnace for smelting local iron ore. The industry flourished during the first during the first half of the 19th century. It produced pig and bar iron for farm tools and cast iron ware, including the famous "Franconia Stoves".
The New Hampshire Iron Factory was incorporated in 1805 by businessmen from Salem, Massachusettes, who had made money in the China trade.
The iron furnace was built on the site of a forge and dam erected in 1801 or 1802 by three local men -- Simon Oakes, Thomas Spooner, and David Applebee.
The furnace is unusual in its octagonal shape and its remarkable condition.
Franconia Iron Furnace