Gerard Furnace
Iron Made in Kentucky
(Front):
Gerard Furnace
Built 2¼ miles east in 1854 by Browder, Kentucky and Co. Inside it was 24ft. high and 10½ ft. across at widest point, burning locally made charcoal fuel. Its air blast machinery was powered by steam. In 34 weeks of 1857, it produced 1,595 tons of pig iron, mostly shipped by steamboats on Tennessee River. Did not operate after 1858. See other side.
(Reverse):
Iron Made in Kentucky
A major producer since 1791, Ky. ranked 3rd in US in 1830s, 11th in 1965. Charcoal timber, native ore, limestone supplied material for numerous furnaces making pig iron, utensils, munitions in the Hanging Rock, Red River, Between Rivers, Rolling Fork, Green River Regions. Charcoal-furnace era ended in 1880s with depletion of ore and timber and use of modern methods. Over.
Marker is at the intersection of State Highway 121 and Cypress Trail, on the right when traveling north on State Highway 121.
Courtesy hmdb.org
