MacIntyre Iron Furnace
Posted by: Kenmore
N 44° 04.735 W 074° 03.394
18T E 575538 N 4881070
An old steel blast furnace operated from 1827 to 1857 by the Adirondack Iron Works company. Powered by the upper reaches of the Hudson river, the furnace and other remnants sit beside the Upper Works road.
Waymark Code: WMENJ9
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 06/19/2012
Views: 35
During the nineteenth century the area was mined for iron ore. Adirondack, New York was a company town of the Adirondack Iron Works. Iron deposits were first found here in 1826 by Archibald McIntyre and David Henderson. The iron was extracted at what was known as the Upper Works with moderate success between 1827 and 1857. In 1857, after a struggle, the Adirondack Iron Works surrendered to the remoteness of the wilderness and Adirondac became known as the "deserted village". Remnants of the village still sit around the mine site. Impurities of titanium dioxide were present in the iron, which made it difficult for equipment of that era to properly process the ore. A local flood and a nationwide economic crisis were also factors in the closure of the Upper Works.
The old furnace recieved some conservation work in 2007 to stabilize the masonry and make the site more accessible to visitors but caution should still be exercised in walking around. Remains of the bellows and other machinery can be seen closer to the waters edge.
Visit Instructions:
Please post a photo of you or your GPS with the iron furnace ruins.