Noble Furnace, Virginia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Noble Furnace, Virginia
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Unincorporated community
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 Noble Furnace, Virginia
Location in Virginia
Noble Furnace, Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Virginia |
| County | Wythe |
| Elevation | 2,274 ft (693 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1493350 |
Noble Furnace is a small, unincorporated community in Wythe County, Virginia, United States. An unincorporated community is a place that doesn't have its own local government, like a town or city. Instead, it's part of the larger county.
This community is located near Francis Mill Creek and Fry Hill. It's about 9.6 miles (15.5 kilometers) south of a larger town called Wytheville.
The Historic Iron Furnace
Noble Furnace is famous for being the site of an old iron furnace. This furnace was also known as the Irondale Furnace. It was built a long time ago, either in 1880 or 1881.
How the Furnace Worked
The furnace at Noble Furnace was a special type called a "cold blast furnace." This means it used air that was not heated before it was blown into the furnace. The furnace was powered by steam, which helped to make the iron. Its main structure, or "stack," was built from strong stone.
The Norma Iron Company owned this furnace. They used it to process limestone ore, which is a type of rock containing iron. This ore was brought to the furnace from nearby deposits. A special type of small railway, called a tramway, was used to transport the ore.
