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Photographer: Library of Congress
Caption: Founder
Additional Description: Founders made sure the furnace was kept at peak efficiency by constantly adjusting the bellows and the ratio of charcoal, ore, and flux. Since the furnace was in blast around the clock, the founder was assisted by a Keeper. Together they maintained a constant vigil. Otherwise, they ran the risk of the furnace “freezing up.” This meant that the molten iron within the furnace hardened before the process was completed. The only option to fix this catastrophe would be to deconstruct and rebuild the furnace entirely. This never happened at Catoctin. NPS/Kenneth Townsend.
Submitted: October 23, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland.
Database Locator Identification Number: p617667
File Size: 0.805 Megabytes

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