Laurel Hill Iron Furnace

Laurel Hill Iron Furnace. . , The Laurel Hill Iron Furnace was built in 1846 by Hezekiah Reed, Gallagher, and Hale and operated until 1855. Before the Civil War, America's iron industry was characterized by numerous small producers, like the Laurel Hill Iron Furnace, scattered throughout the country. At one time, there were nine iron furnaces in Ligonier Valley. This area had a generous supply of the resources needed to make iron: deposits of iron ore, limestone, oak forests to supply wood for charcoal, and water power. The decline of these local furnaces was caused by the growth of the railroad industry during the Civil War which allowed the centralization of iron production in the "big cities"., The major product of the Laurel Hill Iron Furnace was pig iron which was later converted to products at other locations. But the local furnace also cast hollow and flatware such as pots, pans, kettles, bells, weathervanes, stoves, and horse shoes in various sizes. The ironman who produced them was called a "potter" and carried his molds from furnace to furnace, casting enough items at each site to meet local demand., To start a furnace, the stack was filled with charcoal from the charging bridge and lighted from the top. After this burned several days, the furnace was refilled with charcoal, and the fire worked its way back to the top. An airblast was now applied after iron ore and limestone were added to the "tunnel head" in increasing quantities., To start the blast a water wheel activated the large bellows. The water system used to power these bellows included a 500 foot tunnel connected to a dam on Baldwin Run. As the blast continued, slag (the impurities in the iron ore) and molten iron ran down into the hearth. Slag, separated from the iron by the fluxing action of the limestone, had to be drawn off periodically. Directly in front of the furnace stood the casting house or shed where molten iron flowed into molds, commonly called pigs because of their resemblance to suckling pigs-thus the name "pig iron". The blast furnace was intended to operate day and night with new fuel, iron ore, and limestone added continually to maintain production., The Laurel Hill Iron Furnace was a boost to the local economy as it employed many people. The operation took 15 to 20 men, working in 12 hour shifts around the clock. An additional 40-50 support jobs were created to cut wood for charcoal, haul ore and limestone, and move the finished product., (Caption):, Below: The top view of the furnace, which is rarely seen, is engraved with the year it was constructed.