Carrick Furnace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Carrick Furnace
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Pennsylvania Route 75 north of Metal, Metal Township, Pennsylvania |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | c. 1828 |
| Architectural style | Iron furnace |
| MPS | Iron and Steel Resources of Pennsylvania MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 91001133 |
| Added to NRHP | September 6, 1991 |
Carrick Furnace is an old iron-making factory located in Metal Township, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. It's a special kind of furnace called a bloomery iron furnace. This means it was used to make iron directly from iron ore.
The furnace was built around 1828. It stands about 30 feet tall and is 30 feet wide at its base. Today, you can still see parts of the original furnace. These include the tall stone stack, which is the main part of the furnace. There's also a Peter L. Weimer blowing engine from 1879. This engine used steam to blow air into the furnace. This made the fire hotter, helping to melt the iron.
Contents
What is Carrick Furnace?
Carrick Furnace was a place where people made iron a long time ago. It used a special process to turn iron ore into usable metal. This metal was very important for making tools, weapons, and other things.
How an Iron Furnace Works
An iron furnace like Carrick Furnace needed several key parts to work.
- Furnace Stack: This was the tall, chimney-like structure. Workers would load iron ore, limestone, and charcoal into the top.
- Blowing Engine: This machine pushed air into the bottom of the furnace. The extra air made the fire inside burn much hotter.
- Boilers: These heated water to create steam. The steam powered the blowing engine.
- Charging Ramp: This was a sloped path or bridge. Workers used it to carry materials up to the top of the furnace stack.
- Engine House: This building protected the blowing engine and boilers from the weather.
- Cast House: This was a shelter where the melted iron flowed out. Workers would pour the hot liquid iron into molds here.
The limestone helped to remove impurities from the iron. The charcoal provided the heat needed to melt the ore.
Its History Through the Years
Carrick Furnace has a long and interesting history. It shows how technology changed over time.
Early Days and Changes
The furnace first started making iron around 1828. But its operations stopped for a while in 1837. The property was sold in 1843. Then, in 1850, it was rented out to a company called "Witherow and Walker."
A big change happened in 1879. The furnace was updated to use a "hot blast" system. This meant the air blown into the furnace was heated first. This made the iron-making process more efficient. This update included installing the steam-powered blowing engine.
Later Years and Preservation
The furnace stopped making iron for good in 1884. Many years later, in 1935, the Carrick Furnace was given to the Franklin County Historical Society-Kittochtinney. This group helped to protect and preserve it.
More recently, in February 2020, the Path Valley Historical Society bought the Carrick Furnace. They continue to care for this important historical site. You can learn more about them at their website.
Protecting History
Carrick Furnace is recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. Being on this list helps to protect the furnace for future generations. It ensures that this piece of industrial history is preserved.
