The first iron furnace was built at Pine Grove in 1764. Timber from the nearby Michaux Forest was burned to create charcoal which was then used at Pine Grove to melt the iron ore to make cast iron stoves, fire backs and kettles. The cast iron was also reheated and forged into wrought iron. But since one furnace could use up to one acre of forest a day the furnace were eventually adapted to use coal.
The furnace was built into the corner of a hill. The ruins show that the top of the hill was about level with the top of the furnace. There were also holes and pieces of metal sticking out of the furnace where other buildings where once attached. This was so the heavy iron ore could be fed into the furnace from the top. Gutterman also worked from the top skimming the slag that floated on the molten iron.
The iron would then be melted to 3,000 degrees and the impurities would separate and rise to the top and the iron would settle to the bottom. The molten iron would flow into the troughs and formed into "pigs."
Not sure if this was a plant, lichen or flower but it was growing out of the side of the furnace.
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