Clove Furnace Ruin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clove Furnace Ruin |
|
|---|---|
Buildings in 2015
|
|
| General information | |
| Location | Arden, NY |
| Coordinates | 41°16′24″N 74°09′00″W / 41.27333°N 74.15000°W |
The Clove Furnace Ruin is an old industrial site in Arden, New York. It was once a very important place for making iron. People dug up iron ore from nearby mines, and then brought it here to be melted down. This process is called smelting. The ruins are easy to spot from the New York State Thruway.
Contents
What Was Clove Furnace?
The Clove Furnace was built in 1854. Two brothers, Robert and Peter Parrott, built it. They also owned many mines in the area. All these mines and the furnace were part of something called the Greenwood Iron Works.
Making Iron for Important Uses
The Clove Furnace worked alongside another furnace, the Greenwood Furnace, which was built around 1810. Both furnaces made iron. This iron was then sent to the Parrotts' West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, NY.
The Parrott Rifle and the Civil War
The West Point Foundry used the iron to make many things. One of the most famous was the Parrott Rifle. This was a powerful cannon. The Union army used these cannons a lot during the American Civil War. So, the Clove Furnace played a small but important part in history!
When Did It Close?
The Clove Furnace stopped working for good in 1877. This happened shortly after Robert Parrott passed away. After that, the furnace was no longer used to make iron.
Clove Furnace Today
Today, the Clove Furnace Ruin is part of Columbia University's Arden property. It is sometimes open to the public. When it is open, visitors can explore the site and learn about its history as a museum. It's a great way to see how iron was made long ago.
