Lonaconing Furnace
Encyclopedia
Lonaconing Furnace, also known as The George's Creek Coal and Iron Company Furnace No. 1, is a historic iron furnace
in Lonaconing
, Allegany County
, Maryland
, United States
. It is a truncated square pyramid constructed of sandstone
, 50 feet high, 50 feet square at the base, and 25 feet square at the top. It first produced iron in 1839, then the iron operation was abandoned in the mid 1850s, the Loncaconing Furnace complex included a top house, molding house, engine house, and two hot-air furnaces for heating the blast. None of these ancillary structures remains. It played a significant role in demonstrating that both coke
and raw bituminous coal
could be used as fuels in the manufacture of iron. It is known as "the first coke furnace, whose operation was successful, erected in this country."
Lonaconing Furnace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1973.
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
in Lonaconing
Lonaconing, Maryland
Lonaconing is a town in Allegany County, Maryland, United States located along the Georges Creek Valley. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,205 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, Allegany County
Allegany County, Maryland
Allegany County is a county located in the northwestern part of the US state of Maryland. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 75,087. Its county seat is Cumberland...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a truncated square pyramid constructed of sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, 50 feet high, 50 feet square at the base, and 25 feet square at the top. It first produced iron in 1839, then the iron operation was abandoned in the mid 1850s, the Loncaconing Furnace complex included a top house, molding house, engine house, and two hot-air furnaces for heating the blast. None of these ancillary structures remains. It played a significant role in demonstrating that both coke
Coke (fuel)
Coke is the solid carbonaceous material derived from destructive distillation of low-ash, low-sulfur bituminous coal. Cokes from coal are grey, hard, and porous. While coke can be formed naturally, the commonly used form is man-made.- History :...
and raw bituminous coal
Bituminous coal
Bituminous coal or black coal is a relatively soft coal containing a tarlike substance called bitumen. It is of higher quality than lignite coal but of poorer quality than Anthracite...
could be used as fuels in the manufacture of iron. It is known as "the first coke furnace, whose operation was successful, erected in this country."
Lonaconing Furnace was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1973.
External links
- Lonaconing Furnace, Allegany County, including photo in 1979, at Maryland Historical Trust