2025 U.S. Van Tour: Furnace Town Maryland
Our final stop, before rendezvousing with family, was a
recreated early 19th century village called Furnace Town. It is the home of the Nassawango Iron Furnace,
which operated between 1830 and 1845.
Low grade iron ore was reduced in a primitive blast furnace for use in
regional industries. Iron ingots were
sold for blacksmiths to craft into nails, household objects, wagon parts, and
for components used in ship construction. The annual output of the furnace was
approximately 700 tons of ingots.
Furnace Town Visitors Center
The blast furnace has been designated as a Mechanical
Engineering Historic Site. The only power
available to operate the furnace was waterpower, which was used to turn a water
wheel to operate a large bellow to inject a continuous stream of air into the
furnace. It was very clever considering
the technology of the time.
The Village of Furnace Town
A Pedal Operated Lathe
A community of about 60 people developed around the furnace. The village had a school, church, blacksmith shop, woodworking shop and
other trades as well as housing for the owner and the workers.
I would describe the site as a small-scale Williamsburg
experience. In the summer time docents
staff the various shops and demonstrate the trades which were practiced during
the time of the furnace’s operation.
This Harvest Host site also has hiking and biking trails in
the woods. If you desire deepening your
understanding of early American industrial history, I would recommend you visit
the Furnace Town Historical Site.
We spent the night in the van. Furnace Town was beyond in the trees
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