Illinois Iron Furnace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Illinois Iron Furnace
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Rosiclare, Illinois |
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| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000704 |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1973 |
The Illinois Iron Furnace is a historic iron furnace located in Shawnee National Forest near Rosiclare, Illinois. It is a very old and important building. This special oven was used to make iron a long time ago.
Contents
What is an Iron Furnace?
An iron furnace is like a giant oven. It heats up iron ore, which is rock that contains iron. This process is called smelting. When the ore melts, the pure iron separates from other materials. The melted iron then flows out and cools into solid pieces. These pieces were often called "pig iron" because they looked like pigs lying side-by-side.
History of the Illinois Iron Furnace
Building the Furnace
The Illinois Iron Furnace was built a long time ago, between 1837 and 1839. Two businessmen, Chalon Guard and Leonard White, owned it. They chose this spot because there was a lot of iron ore nearby.
How the Furnace Worked
Workers at the furnace would dig up iron ore from the ground. Then, they would bring it to the furnace to be melted. The iron that was made here was very important. It was taken to Elizabethtown, Illinois. From there, it was shipped on the Ohio River to other places.
The Civil War and Beyond
The furnace stopped working for a few years, from 1861 to 1868. This was during the American Civil War. It was hard to get supplies and workers during the war. Some people say the furnace helped the Union navy during the war. However, it likely only used iron that was already made and stored. The furnace closed for good in 1883. This marked the end of the iron-making industry in Illinois.
Preserving a Piece of History
Damage and Reconstruction
In the 1930s, the furnace was badly damaged. This happened because of highway construction nearby. But people wanted to save this important piece of history. In 1967, the U.S. Forest Service helped rebuild it. They wanted to make sure the furnace would last for many more years.
A Place to Visit
After the rebuilding, the area around the furnace became a nice place for visitors. It now has a picnic site. There is also a visitor center. This center tells the story of the furnace and how important iron-making was in Illinois.
National Recognition
Because of its history and importance, the Illinois Iron Furnace was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It is the only iron furnace left from that time in Illinois. This makes it a very special landmark. It shows us how people used to make iron and how industries grew in the state.
