Near Copake Falls in Columbia County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Blast Furnace & Charging Deck
Iron Works Trail
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, June 22, 2019
1. Blast Furnace & Charging Deck Marker
In 1845, Lemuel Pomeroy II built the first iron furnace near this location. The blast furnace stack visible today dates to about 1871, when improvements were made to the Copake Iron Works by Frederick Miles after he purchased the site from Pomeroy.
The 32-foot-tall furnace was once clad in marble blocks. It had an uncommon system of controlling the hearth temperature with metal cases filled with water. The furnace ran until 1903, and at the height of its operation, produced about 3,750 tons of iron per year.
Behind the furnace are stone retaining walls that once supported a covered wooden charging deck. Carts of crushed iron ore, limestone, and charcoal were wheeled through the charging deck and dumped into the charging hole at the top of the blast furnace. (Marker Number 3.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1845.
Location. 42° 7.185′ N, 73° 30.957′ W. Marker is near Copake Falls, New York, in Columbia County. Marker can be reached from Valley View Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Copake Falls NY 12517, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Site of Pomeroy Houses (within shouting distance of this marker); Isaac Chesbrough House (within shouting distance of this marker); Pomeroy Homes
this page online
Regarding Blast Furnace & Charging Deck. The charging deck no longer exists.
Also see . . . Copake Iron Works Historic District - National Archives. National Register of Historic Places documentation (Submitted on January 17, 2024, by Anton Schwarzmueller of Wilson, New York.)
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, June 22, 2019
2. Copake Iron Works - Blast Furnace Preservation
New York State acquired the abandoned Copake Iron Works in 1926 as part of the creation of Taconic State Park. The site remained an industrial ruin until 2008 when the Friends of Taconic State Park was formed. The stabilization and preservation work carried out by the Friends since then has been guided by the March 2000 report entitled"The Copake Iron Works at Taconic State Park -- A report on its Historical Significance and Development Potential," written by Larry Gobrecht, New York State Historian at Peebles Island, and Tom Scofield, Taconic State Park Manager from 1985-2000.
Photographed By Steve Stoessel, June 22, 2019
3. Site of Charcoal Shed
Stone walls and a rectangular cut in the hillside far above this point are all that remain to mark the location of a charcoal storage shed. The building appears on maps from the 1860's and was likely enlarged in the 1870's. It once held the fuel vital for the iron-making process, but was situated far enough away from the blast furnace to protect it from accidental sparks or flames.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 17, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 149 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 27, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
