Oakland Furnace
Stood 2 miles west. Built in 1834 by John C. and Jacob Kouns, it was a stone stack with air blast machinery powered by steam. It made 600 tons of iron in 1838, consuming 2100 tons of ore and 180,000 bushels of charcoal fuel. The iron was shipped in pigs by river boat. Furnace not operated after 1849. See other side. Marker presented by Armco Steel Corp.
(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.