Tour the Iron Furnaces of Western Pennsylvania
More than a century after they last belched smoke and discharged molten iron, the surviving stacks of stone blast furnaces bear silent testimony to the birth of heavy industry in western Pennsylvania. The massive, pyramid-like form and intricate, unmortared stonework of these archaic towers call to mind the ruins of a not-so-long-vanished civilization. As iron-producing artifacts, the furnace stacks are, in fact, part of a lineage that dates back more than 3,500 years. Examine the structure's role in local history, however, and you will discover strong connections to the present. Western Pennsylvania's development as an iron-making center during the early decades of the 1800s sets the stage for the area's transformation into a steel-making center by the century's end. The furnace remains, therefore, can be regarded as technological ancestors of the sprawling steel mills whose operations shaped both the landscape of this region and the lives of its residents.
Listed below are some sites to visit. Click on the furnace to get directions.
Wharton Furnace – Fayette County
The Wharton Furnace is the only early Fayette County iron furnace to be restored to its original appearance. The furnace was in operation from 1839 to 1873. Pictured today is the Wharton Furnace, taken last month by WPC's Jean DiTullio. Eliza Iron Furnace – Cambria County
Located on the Ghost Town Trail, the Eliza Furnace is one of the state's best-preserved hot-blast iron furnaces.
Alliance Furnace – Westmoreland County
The remains of the Alliance Furnace are located on state game lands near Jacob's Creek. Visitors can still see the remains of the furnace stack and charcoal house, first built in 1789.
Directions provided by www.experiencepa.com.
For more historical information on Pennsylvania iron furnances visit http://paironworks.rootsweb.com/westmoreland.html.
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