Near Rockdale in Boyd County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)
Clinton Furnace
⎯⎯⎯
Iron Made in Kentucky
Photographed by J. J. Prats, September 29, 2018
1. Clinton Furnace side of marker
Clinton Furnace. Stood one mile east. Its stone stack was 10 ft across inside, about 35 ft. high, built in 1832 by George, William Thomas H. and Hugh A. Poage. In 270 days of 1838 it used 2992 tons of ore, 247,000 bushels of charcoal to make 950 tons of iron. In 1857, produced 1500 tons. Operations ceased before 1867.
Iron Made in Kentucky. A major producer since 1791, Kentucky ranked 3rd is U.S. in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, and Green River Regions. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads.
Erected 1968 by Kentucky Historical Society, Kentucky Department of Highways, and Armco Steel Corp. (Marker Number 1155.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Natural Resources. In addition, it is included in the Appalachian Iron Furnaces, and the Kentucky Historical Society series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1832.
Location. 38° 25.048′ N, 82° 42.266′ W. Marker is near Rockdale, Kentucky, in Boyd County. It is on
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Kyova Tri-State Region. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Ohio River Valley, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Boyd County War Memorial (approx. 1.6 miles away); Princess Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky (approx. 3 miles away); War Memorial (approx. 3.2 miles away); Buena Vista Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky (approx. 3.3 miles away); Putnam Stadium (approx. 4 miles away); Alexander Bagby House (approx. 5.1 miles away); Bellefonte Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky (approx. 5.2 miles away); Gov. Simeon Willis (approx. 5.3 miles away).
Photographed by J. J. Prats, September 29, 2018
2. Iron Made in Kentucky side of marker
Photographed by J. J. Prats, September 29, 2018
3. Clinton Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 5, 2020. It was originally submitted on November 12, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 835 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 12, 2018, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.
