We have lost another former docent at the Lawrence County Historical Museum. Ruth Markin was an outstanding helper for our society.

I was sitting here looking at a booklet entitled “Iron Furnaces of the Hanging Rock Region,” which was the last bulletin researched by Virginia S. Bryant. We surely miss all of our society members that have passed this year. In Lawrence County there were 22 furnaces. The oldest ones were the Etna (Aetna) Furnace built in 1832, Centre Furnace built in 1836, Buckhorn Furnace built in 1833, Hecla Furnace built in 1833, Lawrence Furnace (aka Crane’s Nest Furnace) built in 1834, Mt. Vernon Furnace, built in 1833 by R. Hamilton and Andrew Ellison Sr. and Andrew Ellison Jr., Union Furnace built in 1826 by James Rodgers & Co., and Vesuvius Furnace by Hurd, Gould, et al. The Hanging Rock Iron region includes Lawrence County, Jackson County, Scioto County, Vinton County, Hocking County, Carter County, Ky., Greenup County, Ky., and Boyd County, Ky.

The oldest we have record of is Argillite Furnace built in 1818 by Richard Deering and Trinble Brothers.

In our furnace room at the museum, you will find two models of the furnaces. It is very interesting and we invite you to come in and see them.

Have you noticed how pretty the lawn is at the museum? It has been taken care really well this summer with the flowers blooming.

We are still looking for volunteers to help make apple butter. We also need a large copper kettle. If you can help us and need information, call 740-533-0208.

This week we had the privilege of having the sophomore class of St. Joe’s High School tour our historical museum. The docent that gave them the tour remarked how very nice and polite the students were. We invite other school classes to visit. Call the museum at 532-1222 and the arrangements can be made.

Oct. 17 will be the closing date for our workers to get ready for a Victorian Christmas. Nov. 20 will be the date of the Christmas Tea. The museum always looks beautiful at this time of the year with all the Christmas decorations.

Historical Fact: furnaces

Ironton was founded in 1849 by John Campbell, who was a prominent pig iron manufacturer in the area. Interested in expanding his foundry business, and due to the area’s rich iron-ore content (particularly in the hills to the north), he became interested in the lands surrounding what would later become the City of Ironton.

The location of Ironton was chosen for its position along the Ohio River, which would allow for transport of the much-needed commodity, iron-ore and the slope of the land itself, which facilitated movement of the raw material to the local blast furnaces.

Between 1850 and 1890, Ironton was one of the foremost producers of iron in the world. England, France, and Russia all purchased iron for warships from here due to the quality. Iron produced in Ironton and surrounding areas was used for the USS Monitor, the United States’ first ironclad ship.

There were more than ninety furnaces in operation at the peak of production in the late 1800s. The immense wealth that was created from the bustling pig-iron industry led to the construction of many opulent residents.

With much wealth pouring into the city from the iron industry, new industries opened that included soap and nail production.

The Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad which stretched through two states helped fuel Henry Ford’s plants in Michigan.

The city had a street railway, the Ironton Petersburg Street Railway, four daily newspapers and a few foreign language publications. Ironton was known from its lax attitude toward sin and vice.

It was home to a racetrack, numerous saloons and brothels. Numerous chapels offered “quick and quiet” marriages.

The downfall of Ironton came as the market for iron changed. The quality of the iron that had once made Ironton one of the leading producers of pig iron was no longer considered as desirable.

All of the easily accessible iron (close to the surface) had been mined by 1899 and the continued production costs began to outweigh the benefit.

Also the nation was making the transition from a demand for iron to steel. After a nationwide economic recession in the late 19th century, Ironton was no longer growing.

The Great Depression of the late 1920s and two major floods in 1917 and 1937 devastated the city to the point that most if not all the city’s industries had closed down for good.

(*The information given to me about Ironton was from Elaine Winkler, a former member of Lawrence County.)

Naomi Deer, LCHS