1056 Cottage Furnace

Category: Markers

Marker reads, built, 1856, operated until 1873, when 1950 tons of iron were made. Six miles north. A stone stack, originally 38 ft. high, maximum inner diameter 101/2 ft. Fuel was charcoal. Steam-driven air blast. Iron was made into bars, nails and other products at Clay City forge and rolling mill, or cast into utensils at furnace for sale here and in Bluegrass. Back of marker reads, 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. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads.