Marquette in Marquette County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Carp River Furnace
| | Iron Ore Heritage Trail | |
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 25, 2025
1. Carp River Furnace Marker
Iron making at The Mouth of the Carp River
Iron making requires three ingredients: iron ore, flux material, and heat. In the late 19th century, in Michigan's iron ranges, iron was made in blast furnaces using iron ore, limestone and charcoal.
Charcoal was burned in kilns using hardwoods harvested from vast forests. The collier, responsible for operating the kiln, stacked the wood 10-14 feet high, in circular piles, and lit the stack using a long pole with a spark. He managed the kiln's heat through a venting system. The wood then burned for 6-8 days, and cooled for another 3-5 days.
Our beehive-shaped kiln was one of the last standing on the Marquette Iron Range, until it finally collapsed in 2016. It was one of 43 kilns that once stood near here feeding the Carp River Blast Furnace, operating on and off from 1874 until 1907.
Pioneer Iron Company
Carp River Furnace
Marquette, Michigan
Based on 1912 Pioneer Iron Company Records
John Burt built and operated the Carp River Fumace in 1874. It burnt down 1882 but was resurrected by Noah Gray and Charles Shaffer, and operated until 1907. The furnace complex was
this page online
Map: Mike Lempinen
Captions
Beehive Charcoal Kiln
Carp River Furnace Complex
Section Drawing Mike Lempinen
View of the Carp River Furnace at the mouth of the river on Lake Superior (ca. 1890-1895)
Marquette Regional History Center
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1874.
Location. 46° 31.135′ N, 87° 23.067′ W. Marker is in Marquette, Michigan, in Marquette County. It is at the intersection of South Lake Street and South Front Street (U.S. 41), on the right when traveling north on South Lake Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1074 S Lake St, Marquette MI 49855, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is also in the American Midwest and on Lake Superiors South Shore Region. Globally, it is in North America, in the Great North Woods, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 25, 2025
2. Carp River Furnace and Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Pioneer John Burt (here, next to this marker); Migratory Birds of the Great Lakes Region/ Restoring Critical Coastal Habitat to Benefit Birds (approx. 1.4 miles away); A Trail to Adventure (approx. 1½ miles away); Jacques Marquette (approx. 1½ miles away); Lake Superior Art Association (approx. 1½ miles away); Bishop Baraga House (approx. 1½ miles away); Lower Harbor Ore Dock (approx. 1.6 miles away); Marquette County Courthouse (approx. 1.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marquette.
Photographed by Mark Parker, June 25, 2025
3. Full view of Carp River Furnace and marker (right)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 13, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 293 times since then and 107 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 13, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
