Historical Marker

Caney Furnace

Stood five miles south. This stone stack, built 1837-38 by Harrison Connor and Joshua Ewing, Sr., was among first iron furnaces west of the Alleghenies to be equipped with a hot-blast oven, a device to preheat the air blown through the stack. Charcoal-fueled and steam-powered, it operated until 1849, and made iron again briefly in 1857-58. See the 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. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads. See over.