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Alburtis in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
 

Servicing the Furnace

Lock Ridge Furnace and Park

 
 
Servicing the Furnace Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 5, 2015
1. Servicing the Furnace Marker
Inscription.
Two “Donkeys” and a Massasoit
Iron was actually produced in the furnaces, but much of the action at Lock Ridge took place on the surrounding railroad tracks and in the nearby outbuildings. At the height of production, three trains operated on the site, and they were constantly on the move. A full-size locomotive, known as the Massasoit, carried raw material and pig iron between the furnaces and the main Catasauqua and Fogelsville line. Two smaller “donkey engines,” known as the Cinderella and Fairy, ran trains on narrow gauges in and out of the casting house and back to the slag bank. The three engines were housed in a large engine house, which was later disassembled.

The Carpenter and Blacksmith Shops
A number of buildings once surrounded the complex, each with their own function. Blacksmiths and carpenters worked full time to keep the furnace complex running properly. At the time, iron production was an evolving science that required trial-and-error and constant innovation. The skilled workers who repaired and improved the furnace’s machinery were on the front lines of that effort. Although most of the outbuildings were demolished, the arched doorways of the carpenter’s shop and the foundation of the blacksmith’s shop are still visible.

(Inscription beside the image in the lower

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Unlike most furnaces at the time, Lock Ridge did not use mules or horses to move materials, making it one of the more modern facilities.

(Inscription under the photo in the upper right)
Men pose with the Massasoit steam engine.
(Collection of the Lehigh County Historical Society)
 
Erected by William B. Butz Memorial Fund.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce.
 
Location. 40° 30.501′ N, 75° 35.628′ W. Marker is in Alburtis, Pennsylvania, in Lehigh County. Marker is on Church Street. The marker is on the grounds of the Loch Ridge Furnace Museum-Lehigh County Parks. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Alburtis PA 18011, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lock Ridge Furnace (within shouting distance of this marker); From Production to Preservation (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Casting Pigs (about 300 feet away); Lock Ridge Iron Furnace (approx. ¼ mile away); The Velodrome Story (approx. 2.8 miles away); Hereford Furnace (approx. 4.6 miles away); Jasper Park Indian (approx. 5 miles away); Indian Jasper Quarries (approx. 5.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Alburtis.

 
Servicing the Furnace-Carpenters Arch building remains image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 5, 2015
2. Servicing the Furnace-Carpenters Arch building remains
Sign on Church Street at the entrance to the Lock Ridge Furnace Complex image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Don Morfe, July 5, 2015
3. Sign on Church Street at the entrance to the Lock Ridge Furnace Complex
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on July 11, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 274 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on July 11, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

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Mar. 29, 2024