Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cumberland Furnace
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Cumberland Furnace Post Office
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 Cumberland Furnace
Location in Tennessee
Cumberland Furnace
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Dickson |
| Elevation | 518 ft (158 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
37051
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| Area code(s) | 615, Overlay 629 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1281828 |
Cumberland Furnace is a small community in Dickson County, Tennessee, United States. It's not a city or town, but a place where people live together without a formal local government. The community has its own U.S. Post Office with the ZIP Code 37051.
Contents
History of Cumberland Furnace
Early Days and Iron Production
The story of Cumberland Furnace began in 1793. That's when General James Robertson bought the land. He built the very first furnace there. A furnace is a special oven used to melt metal.
In 1804, a man named Montgomery Bell moved to Middle Tennessee. He bought General Robertson's iron business for $16,000. Bell was very good at making iron. He built more furnaces and mills. One of his mills was a hammer mill near Charlotte. It used waterpower from Jones Creek to work.
By 1808, Bell's furnaces were busy. They used charcoal made from wood to melt iron. This iron was used to make cannonballs. These cannonballs were important during the War of 1812. General Andrew Jackson's troops used them at the famous Battle of New Orleans.
Changes in Ownership
Many of Montgomery Bell's workers lived in a nearby community. It's still called Bell Town today. Bell faced some financial problems around 1819. In 1824, he tried to sell his ironworks. He even offered to sell them to the U.S. Army. The army wanted to use them for an armory, a place to store weapons. But the area often flooded, so the idea didn't work out.
Later, Bell sold the ironworks to Anthony Wayne Van Leer. The Van Leer family was well-known in Pennsylvania. They were known for supporting freedom for all people. Anthony Van Leer's mansion was even used by Union soldiers during the Civil War.
Van Leer's granddaughter married a Union Captain named James P. Drouillard. They built a house on the property, which is now called the Drouillard House. Captain Drouillard ran the furnace for many years. In 1889, the Southern Iron Company bought the furnace.
Historic Recognition
Cumberland Furnace is a special place because of its history. On September 28, 1988, the Cumberland Furnace Historic District was recognized. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important historical site worth preserving.
