Near Zaleski in Vinton County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Hanging Rock Blast Furnace
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
1. The Hanging Rock Blast Furnace Marker
The Hanging Rock blast furnaces varied little in their design. They resembled flat-topped pyramids built of sandstone block. The narrow furnace top rose 35-40 feet from the broad base. Inside the sandstone blocks was a lining of bricks made of clay mined nearby. The necessary ingredients, including chunks of iron ore and limestone, along with charcoal for fuel were dropped into the open top of the furnace. Tall wooden buildings on stilts surrounded the furnace, providing easy access to the top of the furnace and a convenient dry place to store the charcoal.
After the charcoal was ignited, air was forced through openings at the base of the furnace into beds of sand where the hot liquid was molded into blocks called “pigs.” Blast funaces produced an average of 3000 tons of iron a year. This “pig iron” was loaded onto railroad cars for shipment to foundries in Cincinnati and Cleveland, to the east coast, and even to Europe.
Erected 2005 by Make A Difference Day Ohio and Others.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Man-Made Features • Natural Resources. In addition, it is included in the Appalachian Iron Furnaces series list.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. From Forest to Furnace (here, next to this marker); The Furnace Legacy (here, next to this marker); Life in Zaleski (here, next to this marker); Hope Furnace (here, next to this marker); The Hanging Rock Iron Region (here, next to this marker); Forest Of Honor (approx. 4.3 miles away); Lockheed T33 Shooting Star (approx. 5.3 miles away); Creola (approx. 6.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Zaleski.
Also see . . . Iron Furnaces in Ohio. Olde Forester website entry (Submitted on January 16, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
2. The Hanging Rock Blast Furnace Marker
Hope Furnace in background.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
3. The Hanging Rock Blast Furnace Marker
Hope Furnace in background.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
4. Typical Hanging Rock Furnace Cutaway on Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., August 15, 2009
5. Furnace Photo on Marker
"Hecla Furnace in Lawrence County [Ohio]."
Credits. This page was last revised on March 20, 2022. It was originally submitted on January 16, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 1,272 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 16, 2010, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
