This historical marker describes the Belmont Furnace. The marker is shown below, and beneath it is a transcription of its contents.
Description: Stone stack 500 yds. east, 33 ft. high originally, 10 ft. across inside. Built in 1844, perhaps by John H. Baker, rebuilt in 1853, it burned charcoal fuel, smelted iron ore from Cane Run. The air blast machinery was powered by steam. In six months during 1857, it produced 1140 tons of pig iron, shipped to Louisville, mainly for making nails. 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. Old charcoal furnace era ended by depletion of ore and timber and the growth of railroads. See over.
Below is an image insert from Google showing the location of this Bullitt County historical marker (A), and its actual location (B). You can use the arrows in the upper left corner to move the image, or use the plus and minus signs to zoom in or out. You may also put the cursor on the map and drag the image to where you want it.
A slideshow of photos taken at the Belmont Furnace is available here.
The Bullitt County History Museum, a service of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is located in the county courthouse at 300 South Buckman Street (Highway 61) in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. The museum, along with its research room, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments are available by calling 502-921-0161 during our regular weekday hours. Admission is free. The museum, as part of the Bullitt County Genealogical Society, is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization and is classified as a 509(a)2 public charity. Contributions and bequests are deductible under section 2055, 2106, or 2522 of the Internal Revenue Code. Page last modified: 12 Sep 2024 . Page URL: bullittcountyhistory.org/hmarkers/belmont.html
