"Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

[-Ki-]

"Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Found a nice place for a family outing, and hiking. Its called cottage furnace. A really beautiful place! -KI-

 

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[-Ki-]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Here's a great story to go along with these pictures. It involes mainly the history of this furnace.........

COTTAGE FURNACE

Far off the beaten path in the wilderness of Estill COunty near the once thickly populated community of Marbleyard, there stands hidden from public view Cottage Furnace (so named because it has the appearance of a stone cottage).

Constructed of massive blocks of native stone, it is about 25 feet square and 35 feet high. This structure, although erected more than a century ago, is still in good preservation, and stands as a monument to a vanished epoch. On the face of one of the huge blocks of stone is the inscription, "M.W. 1854."

In 1859 Mason and Wheeler sold to the firm of Pierce, Ginter and Vaughn, who operated it until 1861, when it was sold to the McKinney brothers, David, Matthew, James, Thomas and Joel. The McKinney brothers had come from Clark County to work at The Red River Iron Manufacturing Company at Clay City. All the McKinney brothers purchased farms and built spacious homes for themselves and neat cottages for their slaves in the Harwicks Creek community.

The various owners of Cottage Furnace had built their community down the mountain side in the beautiful Hardwicks Creek valley, which had become quite a thriving village. Beside the dwellings of those who were employed at the furnace, there were carding mills, blacksmith shops, carpenters' shops, livery stables, a general store, a school, and a church. The McKinneys also operated a commissary for the convenience of their employees.

There was iron ore in abundance in the high land lying between Cow Creek and Millers Creek, Virgin white oaks supplied the charcoal and most of the labor was provided by slaves, many of whom remained to work for the company after the Civil War had given them their freedom. The McKinneys were reputed to have been kind and understanding masters to their slaves, and were the first in the community to give them their freedom.

The making of iron is full of romantic interest. People of the community grew to love the furnace and the drama of it. Old timers loved to tell of how they were impressed by the fire against the sky at night. The pulsing roar of the furnace, the fillers, like ants, crossing the bridge from the band to the tunnelhead, with their baskets of ore and charcoal, the crucial tension mounting until the moment came to tap. The climax came twice a day when the dam-stone was pulled away and hot molten iron came pouring forth in a fiery red stream filling the sand molds of the casting bed, called the sow and pigs. Hince the name Pig Iron.

There are many legends, some tragic and some comical which surround the Cottage Furnace. One story in particular, almost too tragic to repeat, is told of a young slave, Ned, who had run away from his master. Ned had been given shelter by Jesse Jones, a recluse and scientist, who lived at Marleyard. The slave had a cruel master, who often punished him by tying him to a post or tree and whipped him with a cowhide whip. Ned had been given employment at the furnace. One day while on his way to work, his master sprang out behind him and started chasing him. Rather than be caught and submit to cruel punishment from his master, he dived headfirst into the molten iron ore and was burned to death.

It will no doubt be of interest to historically minded people to learn under what circumstances the Cottage Furnace ceased to operate. In 1879, Joel McKinney, owner of the furnace at that time, received word that his son, Joel, Jr., had died suddenly. Due to the shock, he stopped operation of the furnace while it was in full blast, still full of the molten iron which remains until this day. McKinney was never able to operate it again.

 

[Mental Granny]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Great pic and looks like you said a great place to take a walk with the family! And thanks for the history! I always love learning new things!

 

[Ray S S]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Hey, these are some good shots. The masons sure did a good job of putting those rocks together. Interesting legends
associated with it. I'll bet there would be some great finds around the area. If you saw a map of the area during
the time it was used you, no doubt, could find some valuable old coins and relics.

Thanks for sharing.

Ray

 

[*Molly*]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Interesting, Thankyou.

Molly.

 

[Th3rty7]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

nice pics, I can only imagine how big the cottage was, must have been HUGE judging from the size of the furnace. Excellent masonry work, probably be standing for hundreds of years. Looks like a good spot to swing a md around too. thanks for sharing

 

[fossis]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Quite a place, thanks for sharing.

Fossis...............

 

[Muddy Feet]

Re: "Cottage Furnace" Estill Co. Ky

Great pictures and an interesting story.