Mountain Brook in Jefferson County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
Wallace S. McElwain / Irondale Furnace Ruins
Photographed By Tim Carr, March 6, 2008
1. Wallace S. McElwain Marker
Inscription.
Wallace S. McElwain, also, Irondale Furnace Ruins. .
Wallace S. McElwain (1832-1888). McElwain trained in a gun factory in New York and in a foundry in Ohio before moving to Holly Springs, MS, where he operated Jones, McElwain and Company Iron Foundry. He was well known in the Southeast for his beautiful cast iron designs, which still adorn many buildings in the French Quarter in New Orleans. After the Civil War began, he received the first order for the production of rifles and cannons from the Confederacy. He moved his operations to Jefferson County when Union forces approached Holly Springs. He died in Chattanooga, TN.,
Irondale Furnace Ruins (1863-1873). This blast furnace was built in 1863 by Wallace S. McElwain under contract to the Confederate Government to supply pig iron to the arsenal in Selma. Facility encompassed 2,146 acres and included an ore mine, quarry, tramway, foundry, blacksmiths' shops, stables, and employee housing. Destroyed March 29, 1865 by the Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, it was rebuilt in 1866 and operated until 1873. First iron furnace in Alabama to go back into operation after the Civil War. Located 1/4 mile southwest of here. Renovated 2006.
Wallace S. McElwain (1832-1888)
McElwain trained in a gun factory in New York and in a foundry in Ohio before moving to Holly Springs, MS, where he operated Jones, McElwain and Company Iron Foundry. He was well known in the Southeast for his beautiful cast iron designs, which still adorn many buildings in the French Quarter in New Orleans. After the Civil War began, he received the first order for the production of rifles and cannons from the Confederacy. He moved his operations to Jefferson County when Union forces approached Holly Springs. He died in Chattanooga, TN.
Irondale Furnace Ruins
(1863-1873)
This blast furnace was built in 1863 by Wallace S. McElwain under contract to the Confederate Government to supply pig iron to the arsenal in Selma. Facility encompassed 2,146 acres and included an ore mine, quarry, tramway, foundry, blacksmiths' shops, stables, and employee housing. Destroyed March 29, 1865 by the Fourth Iowa Veteran Volunteers, it was rebuilt in 1866 and operated until 1873. First iron furnace in Alabama to go back into operation after the Civil War. Located 1/4 mile southwest of here. Renovated 2006.
Erected 1993 by Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society / Memory of Elmer C Thuston.
Location. 33° 30.414′ N, 86° 43.596′ W. Marker is in Mountain Brook, Alabama, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Stone River Road north of Old Leeds Lane, on the left when traveling north. Stone River Road is off of Old Leeds Road. From Interstate 20 at Exit 135 the Old Leeds Road Exit, travel south on Old Leeds Road for 4.16 miles. Turn right onto Stone River Road, the marker is located on the left at the foot of a bridge about 0.8 miles after making the turn from of Old Leeds Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Birmingham AL 35231, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. The marker stands at the entrance to the Irondale Furnace Park. A trail leads to the furnace site about a quarter of mile walk from the marker.
Also see . . . 1. Wallace McElwain. Bhanwiki website entry (Submitted on November 13, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
3. Wallace S. McElwain & Irondadale Furnace Ruins Marker on Stone River Road
Photographed By Tim Carr, January 4, 2010
4. Irondale Furnace after the Civil War.
Photographed By Tim Carr, January 4, 2010
5. Irondale Furnace Today
Credits. This page was last revised on November 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 7, 2010, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. This page has been viewed 3,569 times since then and 89 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 7, 2010, by Timothy Carr of Birmingham, Alabama. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.
