Grand Rivers in Livingston County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

Grand Rivers Iron Furnace

With Two Sixty-ton Charcoal Furnaces

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2024

1. Grand Rivers Iron Furnace Marker

Inscription. During the late 1800's iron created a boom in Kentucky, and the discovery of iron ore in the Grand Rivers area attracted Thomas Lawson and the Grand Rivers Company to the area.

The company owned 18,000 acres of mineral lands, 3,000 acres of coal-bearing land, and 3,000 acres for the site of the city.

The furnace included two sixty-ton burners and was one of the most advanced smelters in the country. The twin stacks could produce 45,000 tons of iron annually.

The furnace operated only a short time under the Grand Rivers company. During the late 1800's, higher grade ore was discovered in the Great Lakes area and Birmingham, Alabama.

The furnace operated intermittently until it was demolished in 1921.

Erected by Livingston Co. Tourist Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1921.

Location. 37° 0.114′ N, 88° 14.598′ W. Marker is in Grand Rivers, Kentucky, in Livingston County. It is on West Commerce Avenue west of 15th Street, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8 W Commerce Ave, Grand Rivers KY 42045, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Kentucky’s Jackson Purchase.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the South,

in the Upper South,

and in the Ohio River Valley.

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

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flies: Grand Rivers Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky (approx. ¼ mile away); Kentucky Dam (approx. 1.6 miles away); Propelling The Water (approx. 1.7 miles away); The TVA System of Multi-Purpose Dams (approx. 1.7 miles away); Andrew Jackson Smith / Medal of Honor (approx. 3 miles away); Andrew Jackson Smith (approx. 3 miles away); (Kelly Furnace) (approx. 5.3 miles away); Suwanee Furnace / Iron Made in Kentucky (approx. 5.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Grand Rivers.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, March 16, 2024

2. Grand Rivers Iron Furnace Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on November 9, 2024. It was originally submitted on April 3, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 384 times since then and 8 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 4, 2024, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.