Watts Furnaces/Iron Made in Kentucky
Posted by: 
Markerman62
N 36° 37.357 W 083° 42.272
17S E 258151 N 4056415
On US 25E at KY 441 in Middlesboro.
Waymark Code: WMNKJ2
Location: Kentucky, United States
Date Posted: 03/29/2015
Views: 7
Side 1
Watts Furnace
Stood 1/2 mile SW. A pair of blast furnaces built by the Watts Steel and Iron Syndicate, Ltd., 1890-93, and operated until 1898. Each iron shell stack was 75 ft. high with a maximum inner diameter of 17 ft. Using coke fuel and local ore, they had a planned capacity together of 400 tons of iron daily, converted to steel at the same site. See the other side.
Side 2
Iron Made in Kentucky
A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Charcoal-furnace era ends in 1880s with depletion of ore and timber and use of modern methods. Over.
Marker Name: Watts Furnaces/Iron Made in Kentucky
Marker Location: City
Type of Marker: Other
Marker Number (for official markers): 1402
Group(s) Responsible for placing Marker:
Kentucky Historical Society
Kentucky Department of Highways
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Visit Instructions:
A picture of the site or anything specific to the text on marker.