Fitchburg Furnace
Nearly 200 years after the heyday of the iron industry, evidence of its prevalence in Kentucky still can be seen all around, especially throughout the Daniel Boone National Forest.
The area is home to eight furnaces, which produced iron from the late 1790s to the late 1890s. During the 1830s, Kentucky was the third largest iron producer in the country.
Inside the furnaces, ironmasters mixed and heated iron ore with materials like charcoal and limestone to help separate impurities, or slag, from the iron. The slag was removed, leaving molten metal to flow into a series of molds and cool into easily transported iron ingots.
A self-led auto tour of the ironworks industry takes visitors from the Slate/Bourbon Furnace just south of Owingsville and ends at the world’s largest dual-stack furnace, the Fitchburg Furnace in Estill County, shown.
In 1868, the Fitchburg Furnace was constructed with local sandstone, using traditional dry laid stone masonry. However, the furnace was out of service by 1875, costing out-of-state investors more than $1 million.
Still, the structure, measuring 65 feet tall and 115 feet long, is a sight to behold. Fitchburg—and other furnaces along the tour—are protected historic sites open to visitors year-round during daylight hours. Removal of artifacts is illegal, and no climbing is allowed.
The self-led auto tour is available here. Go to Visit Us, then Destinations. The tour link is under “Heritage Sites.” The tour is produced by the Forest Service, with the Kentucky Historical Society.
