The following sites are known to have existed at one time. In some cases, the remains of the site remain in existence, but I have not yet visited the location. In other cases, the furnace site may no longer exist. Anyone having any information on these sites is encouraged to forward their knowledge - credit for the source will be acknowledged when posted.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1841 by Loy & Patterson. The furnace was located on Yellow Creek two miles west of Hopewell Furnace (Bedford County). After a variety of owners, the fn was abandoned in 1878. S&T reported in the 1960's that only a few stones and rubble remained.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this cold blast ch fn was built in 1845 on Licking Run in Washington Township. It was a single tuyere furnace that operated by a water powered wheel. The bosh was 7-1/2 foot. In 1850 it was known to be owned by Sigworth & Fetzer. It blew out in 1856. The only remains of the fn are a few stones and large piles of slag.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this cold blast ch fn was built in 1801 on Arnolds Run (now Furnace Run) in Fayette County. The fn was also known as Franklin Iron Works. Nathaniel Gibson was the original builder, along with a nearby forge. The fn was never successful and it is possible that the stack never produced any iron. The forge was successful and was purchased by F.H. Oliphant in 1825. He sold it a few years later to Miltenberger and Brown. They operated the site until 1839, when the site was shut down. Little evidence was reported to remain by S&T in the 1960's and the current status of the site is unknown.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1798 by John Dunlop. The furnace was located on Spring Creek in Centre County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1790 by J. Chambers. The furnace was located near Fort Loudon in Franklin County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1833 on Paint Creek. The fn was purchased in 1843 by James Buchanan (later President of the United States) and John Reynolds of Cornwall. They also purchased 4,351 acres of land in Knox Township for $20,500. Buchanan was reported to visit the fn in June of 1843. The fn was a hot blast fn 30 feet high with a 7 foot 10 inch bosh. The fn was abandoned in 1858 because of low prices and lack of timber. S&T reported that the stack remained standing, but Richard Parks reports that part of the fn was removed when the road was widened.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1845 by John A. Colwell. It was originally a cold blast fn powered by steam. In 1860 it was remodeled for coke. The stack was enlarged and an iron jacket lined with fire brick replaced the upper part. The furnace was located on Red Bank Creek at the village of Mahoning Furnace. The fn went out of blast in 1878. It was also known as Colwell Furnace. Per S&T, the fn was in poor condition in the 1960's.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1844 by George and James Bovard. The furnace was located just north of Eldorado (formally called Glenora), but nothing remains of the fn.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this cold blast ch fn was built in 1848 or 1850 by Robert Breedon and James Kerr. The fn produced 18 tons of iron per week and was blown out in 1862. Several rows of stone are reported to remain, along with a millrace.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1862 by E.F. Shoenberger. The furnace was located just outside of McKee, but nothing remains of the fn. The stones were moved in 1905 to build a large barn on PA36. A nearby stone house was the office for the fn. The fn was also known as Gap Furnace.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1754 by T. & W. Smith. The furnace was located on Pequea Creek in Lancaster County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1795 by Jacob Lesher. The furnace was located in Longswamp Township of Berks County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1844 and abandoned in 1851. Ruins of the stack are reported to remain and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1800 by J. Martin. The furnace was located in Haydentown of Fayette County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1800 by Martin & Lewis on a branch of Mountain Creek. Joseph Victor purchased the fn in 1818 and rebuilt the stack. He changed the name to Fairview. Capacity was 1-1/2 tons per day. The fn went out of blast in 1840. Ruins of the stack are reported to exist and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1762 by George Ross & Co. The furnace was located on Furnace Creek in York County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1857 by McCrea and Galbraith. The furnace was located about 1 mile below the Mahoning Dam. Per S&T, the fn stack had fallen in the 1960's but the ruins remained visible.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1845 by John Bell & Co. It was a cold blast ch fn. In 1856 the fn was converted to steam power and is believed to incorporate the use of hot blast technology. The furnace was located just west of Johnstown on Mill Creek. Remains of the fn are reported to exist but are reported to be little more than a pile of stones and rubble. This fn was owned at one time by the Cambria Iron Company, which also owned Ben's Creek and Conemaugh (Cambria County) furnaces.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1845 and was abandoned in 1882. Nothing remains of the stack, but stones are reported to be widely scattered around the area.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1859 by Robert E. Brown. The furnace was located on the eastern bank of the Allegheny River about 1/2 mile above the mouth of the Cowanshannock Creek. The fn was abandoned in 1873. Per S&T, the fn was removed when the railroad right of way was built.
S&T reported that there were originally 68 dwellings on this site and over 200 employees on the payroll.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built between 1807 and 1808 by Canon, Stewart, and Moore. It was blown out in 1870. Mount Etna was reported to be the first fn in Blair County. Henry Spang bought the fn in 1837, and Jacob Isett bought the site in 1855. The fn is located just outside of Yellow Springs and remains standing. It will hopefully be visited in the future. Richard Parks provided the GPS Location N40 31.382' W078 10.793'
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1822 by Dr. John Thompson with Samuel Kerr as the foreman. After six years the fn was sold by the sherrif to David McJunkin who operated the site until 1835. W.S. Bingham leased and operated the fn until 1838. Ephriam Rose and Robert McGowan leased and operated the site until 1841. The fn was later moved to Pittsburg, and the town of Etna was named for the fn. Remains of the fn include a pile of rubble and stone.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1770 by George Stevenson. The furnace was located on Mount Holly Springs in Cumberland County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1785 by Peter Grubb, Jr & Co. The furnace was located on Chiquisalunga Creek in Lancaster County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1737 by Thomas Potts, Jr. & Company. The furnace was located on Perkiomen Creek in Berks County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1783 by W. Chambers & Brothers. The furnace was located in Path Valley in Franklin County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1846 by Peter Livingood & Co. It was later owned by Linton & Galbreath. No trace of the fn remains, the site is now the First Christian Church of Johnstown on Vine Street.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1787 by Nancarrow and Matlock. The furnace was located the city of Philadelphia.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1812 about 1-1/4 miles downstream from Old Laurel Furnace. The plant was reported to be built by James Paull and Sons in 1827 or 1828. In 1834 it was purchased by David Kaine, who operated the fn until 1838. The fn is reported to remain in existence.
Oilcreek furnace was built in 1824 or 1825 by Stockberger, Kinnear and Reuben Noyes, on land purchased from Indian Chief Cornplanter for $2,121. It was located on the east side of the mouth of Oil Creek. The furnace owners also built a foundry, mill, warehouse, boat landing, and several houses.
The furnace was taken over in 1825 by William and Frederick G. Carey and operated for 10 years. However, in 1835 the sold a sheriff auction (Andrew McCaslin) to William Bell. The Bell's (William, his son, and finally Samuel) operated the site for 14 years. They also operated Horse Creek Furnace.
No trace of the furnace remains today - the stack was believed to stand at the site of the railroad station. When the Holiday Inn was constructed in 1964, they uncovered part of the mill race for the furnace.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1797 on Laurel Run by John Gibson and Samuel Paxson. The site was purchased by Reuben and Samuel Wurtz, who added Hampton Forge on Indian Creek (then called Salt Lick Creek). The forge was located a 1/2 mile upstream on the Youghiogheny River. Most of the fn was removed to build nearby New Laurel Furnace.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1845. The furnace was located on the left bank of the Allegheny River, about about 8 miles above Kittanning. It was a hot blast ch fn with a capacity of 35-40 tons of pig iron per week. It went out of blast in 1857 due to lack of wood to make charcoal. Per S&T, the fn stack was still standing but partially buried in fill from the neighboring railroad.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1747 by Stephen Paschall. The furnace was located in the city of Philadelphia.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1846 by Henry Smith, W.B. Travis, Jonathan Grischer, and Andrew Workman. The furnace was located on the Mahoning Creek below Milton. The fn utilized loamy hematite ore found nearby the fn. It was never successful and was blown out in 1853. Per S&T, the fn is now buried in the deep mud of the impounding area behind the Mahoning Dam.
Attempted to reach - the RR tracks cross SR3004 3.7 miles from Rimesburg, not 3.3 as per Sharp & Thomas. The land is posted DO NOT TRESPASS and I was not able to obtain permission - in fact, it is not clear who would give the OK.
The furnace was built in 1845 and abandonded in 1868. It was originally built as a cold blast furnace but was converted to a hot blast furnace shortly afterwards. The fuel remained charcoal and the blast mechanism was steam powered.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1845 by Brown and Mosgrove of Kittanning. The furnace was located about six miles outside of Kittanning. It was a hot blast ch fn with a 32 foot stack and 10 foot bosh. Steam powered the blast. In 1865 the stack was rebuilt to a 40 foot stack and a 9 foot - 10 inch bosh. The hearth was altered to a 4 foot square, and the fuel was changed to coke. The capacity was 50-60 tons of iron per week. It went out of blast in 1879 due to lack of local ore. Per S&T, the fn stack was a pile of rubble in the 1960's. Richard Parks reported that the stack was gone.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1805 on a branch of Mountain Creek in Brownfield Hollow. The fn was known to be owned in 1857 by Basil Brownfield. S&T reported that a local resident bulldozed the site for practice and nothing remains of the fn, even slag.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1762 by Thomas Potts & Company. The furnace was located in Pottsgrove in Montgomery County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1792 by George Ege. The furnace was located on Spring Creek in Berks County.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1733 by Samuel Nutt, Sr. and William Branson. The furnace was located on French Creek in Chester County. A second furnace was built in 1736.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1817 by Dr. Peter Shoenberger, who became the most prominent iron master in Pennsylvania. The fn is reported to have been pushed over for safety reasons prior to the mid 1960's. Richard Parks reported that only stones and slag remain.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1760 by Mordecai Peirsol. The furnace was located on Pequea Creek in Lancaster County.
I followed the directions from Sharp & Thomas across the RR bridge, but could not find any evidence. The underbrush was very heavy and this search would probably be more suitable in late fall or early spring.
Built in 1859 by Thomas McCullough. Alexander Reynolds became a partner and the McCullough was replaced by Morrhead. The firm was renamed Reynolds and Moorhead. It operated until 1890. The stack was 39 feet with an 11 foot bosh, this was later increased to 64 feet tall. The furnace ran on coke that was initially produced in pits. Coke manufacturing was later moved to a series of beehive ovens staged on the charging bench. The furnace was highly unusual in that it had a tramway to bring ore, limestone and coke from the top of the hill to the furnace.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1841 by Alexander Reynolds and Christian Shunk. The fn was steam powered, cold blast. Shunk withdrew from the company in 1843 and became the postmaster of Redbank, now called Kellersburg. The furnace was located near Kellersburg. The fn was blown out in 1853. Per S&T, the fn stones were removed and utilized to build the Translyvania Bible School in Freeport.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1797 by Jeremiah Pears. The furnace was located on Redstone Creek in Fayette County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, the fn was constructed in 1797 on Lick Run. The fn operated until 1870. John Huston was one of the early owners and was followed by his nephew, Judge John Huston. Later the fn was owned by John Snyder. No trace of the fn remains due to a strip mine operation in the 1940's.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1846 by John Keating. A local corruption of his name resulted in the fn being known as Katen Fn. It was a cold blast fn. The fn is reported to remain as a large pile of stones and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1726 by Samuel Nutt, Sr and William Nutt. The furnace was located on French Creek in Chester County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, these three furnaces were built by Dr. Shoenberger and named for his daughter. Middle Maria was originally built as Elizabeth Furnace, then moved to Bloomfield Furnace, before finally moving to the Rodman site. The fn were located on PA36 just past McKee's Gap. The paved road is the location of the fn, which no longer exist.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1755 by William Bird. The furnace was located in Heidelberg Township of Berks County. The site was also known as Berkshire Furnace.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1791 by Valentine Eckert. The furnace was located on Sacony Creek in Berks County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this furnace was built by Dr. Shoenberger in 1832. The fn was never successful and was shut down after two or three years of operation. The stack was demolished in the winter of 1881-82.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this furnace was built in 1793 by George Anshultz, Anthony Beelen, and William Amberson. The furnace was located at the foot of Amberson Avenue and to the right. The furnace was torn down in 1860 when the Pennsylvania Railroad was built through the valley in Allegheny County.
The furnace was in blast for one year and closed because the nearby ore supply from Roaring Run near Apollo proved to be expensive.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1760 by Benedict Swope and Co. The furnace was located on Furnace Creek in Berks County. It was also known as Oley Furnace.
Also known as Black's Furnace. Built in 1832 by Richard Shippen and Jacob Black. Daily operations were managed by Robert Montgomery and David McKim. The furnace was thirty two feet tall with a nine foot bosh.
A picture of the Furnace Remains was donated by Richard Parks.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this fn was built in 1845 and was abandoned in 1871. The fn was originally a steam powered cold blast fn, but was changed to hot blast in 1857. No trace of the fn remains.
Per Sharp & Thomas, the actual name of this fn was Canoe Fn. It was nicknamed Soapfat when a shipment of pork from Philadelphia was spoiled, and was therefore only suitable for making soap. This fn remains standing and will hopefully be visited in the near future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1800 by Philip Benner. The furnace was located on Spring Creek of Centre County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this furnace was built in 1815 by John Royer and his brother Daniel. It was operated until 1855. The fn remains standing and will hopefully be visited in the near future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1794 by B & R. Jones. The furnace was located on Ruble's Run in Fayette County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, the fn was built in 1794 by Robert and Benjamim Jones. The fn was purchased by the Oliphants in 1833 and blown out in 1870. The stone from the fn was utilized to build the railroad tunnel at Outcrop. Only slag remains of the fn - a limestone making facility now occupies the site.
S&T further reported that the Iron Manufacture's Guide (1859) (reference J.P. Lesley text), there were four furnaces at the site. The first stack was built in 1794, the second in 1805, the third in 1830, and the fourth in 1854. The original stack was 35 feet high w/9 foot bosh and produced 2-1/2 tons per day.
S&T also reported that the Oliphants were the first in the United States to make iron with coke. However, they did not continue to utilize coke at the Spring Hill fn until two years later, owning to the construction of the fn and the low price of charcoal.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this furnace was built between 1810 and 1815 by Jackson & Gibson. The fn was located below the falls on Indian Creek, or Salt Lick Creek as it was formally named. The fn went out of blast in 1828. Part of the stack and millrace are reported to exist and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1851 by Stewardson and Laughlin. It was initially intended to operate with coke. It was a hot blast ch fn with a 43 foot stack and 11 foot bosh. Steam powered the blast. The capacity was 75-80 tons of iron per week. It went out of blast in sometime after 1880. Per S&T, the fn stack was a ruin in the 1960's. Richard Parks reported that little was left of the ruins.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1833 by Black & Maxwell. A small pile of stones is reported to remain and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1795 by Daniel Turner. The furnace was located on Spring Creek of Centre County. The site was also known as Billington Iron Works.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1790 by Isaac Meason. The furnace was located in Dunbar Township of Fayette County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, there were two fn stacks built along Dunbar Creek. The first was built in 1791 by Isaac Meason and was located four miles south of Connellsville. It was the second fn built west of the Alleghenies. The second fn was built downstream from the site of the first stack. The fn was rebuilt and enlarged several times over the years. In 1844 the name was changed to Dunbar Fn. It operated until 1930 when the depression finally closed the operation forever. Some evidence of the first stack was reported to remain, but Richard Parks reported that a house had been built over the site and that all evidence of the fn was gone. There are no remains of the second stack.
I attempted to locate this site and may have spotted the stack. However, the location of this stack will make it VERY difficult to reach physically. Need to return in late fall or early spring when the brush is down.
Van Buren Furnace was built in 1836 by Thomas Hoge, William and Sam Cross. Thomas Hoge was the son of James Hoge and brother to William Hoge. His uncle was Eli Hoge. The furnace was sold many times prior to 1851 when it was sold at sheriff's auction. Shortly afterwards it was abandoned. Owner's over the years included James Eaton, John W. Howe, Solomon Ulmon and probably John Lyon.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1762 by Thomas Potts & Company. The furnace was located on French Creek in Chester County. Also known as the Vincent Forge and Steel Furnace.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1737 by Anna Nutt & Co. The furnace was located on French Creek of Chester County. It is probable that the furnace was actually owned by Samuel Nutt and held by Anna for financial reasons or inheritance.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1847 by Martin Dubs & Co. The furnace was located in Ligonier Valley of Westmoreland County.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this fn was built in 1839 and operated on a sporadic basis until 1873. It was reported to have produced cannon balls for the Union Army during the Am. Civil War. The stack and mill race were reported to remain in good condition and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this cold blast ch fn was built in 1843 by Frick & Lawson. The fn was powered by a steam engine. The fn was later sold to John L. Miller of Pittsburgh and James M. Freeman of Clarion County. The fn blew out in 1857 and was abandoned in 1863. The fn was formally called Franklin Fn, but the local name was Wildcat. S&T reported that the site was a pile of stones and rubble. It is not known if any ruins remain of this fn.
Per Sharp & Thomas, this ch fn was built in 1851 by William Speer near the mouth of Rough Run in Winfield Township. The fn was 20 feet square and 33 feet high and produced about 40 tons of iron per week. It was sold to the Winfield Coal Co. in 1856, and then purchased by William Stewart, who also owned Hickory Furnace. He closed the fn down in 1864. The fn was initially powered by water and then converted to steam. The stack remains standing and will hopefully be visited in the future.
Per Bining, this furnace was built in 1768 by Valentine Eckert. The furnace was located in Windsor Township of Berks County.
