Illinois Iron Furnace

Illinois Iron Furnace. A Blast From The Past. Before you stands the only remaining iron furnace structure in the entire state of Illinois. This priceless historic edifice became part of the Shawnee National Forest in 1950., Outstanding in Its Field , Built in 1837, the Illinois Iron Furnace was one of only two iron furnaces in the Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois. Using a charcoal-blast method, it produced high-quality iron that commanded the highest market price., Stops and Starts , Although there was an urgent need for iron during the Civil War, the lack of men to work the furnace forced it to close in 1861. It came to life, again, in 1872 though was used only sporadically., The End of an Era , Operation of the furnace became unprofitable as iron production techniques advanced and richer ore fields were discovered in the Great Lakes Region. The last furnace fires flickered and died in 1883., Protecting the Past for the Future , Our nation's historic sites are protected by the Antiquities Act of 1906. In 1973, the Iron Furnace was also placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Preserving our historic sites is crucial, for learning from the past, we ensure a better future., Revitalized Once More , The structure you see before you is a reconstruction built in 1967. It is solid, filled with rubble and concrete. The original furnace was only partially dismantled in the 1930s to supply rock for the embankments of the Hog Thief Creek Bridge., (caption) , Rebuilt and enlarged in 1856, the furnace reached 32 feet in height.