Brierfield Furnace

Edit links
Coordinates: 33°2′22″N 86°56′56″W / 33.03944°N 86.94889°W / 33.03944; -86.94889
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Brierfield Furnace
Remnants of the Brierfield Furnace in 1993
Brierfield Furnace is located in Alabama
Brierfield Furnace
Brierfield Furnace is located in the United States
Brierfield Furnace
LocationBrierfield, Alabama
Coordinates33°2′22″N 86°56′56″W / 33.03944°N 86.94889°W / 33.03944; -86.94889
Area486 acres (197 ha)
Built1861
ArchitectCol. C. C. Huckabee, Jonathan Newton Smith
WebsiteBrierfield Ironworks
NRHP reference No.74000401
Added to NRHPNovember 20, 1974

The Brierfield Furnace, also known as the Bibb Naval Furnace and Brierfield Ironworks, is a historic district in Brierfield, Alabama, encompassed by Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park.[1] The district covers 486 acres (197 ha) and includes one building and nine sites. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 20, 1974.[2]

History

The Brierfield Furnace site was developed in 1861 by Caswell Campbell Huckabee,

rolling mill. The company produced cast iron initially, but soon changed over to the more lucrative production of wrought iron. The iron was used to produce farm implements.[4][5]

Recognizing the high quality of iron produced at Brierfield,

10th Missouri Volunteer Cavalry during Wilson's Raid.[3][4][5]

Following the war, the operation was rebuilt under the private ownership of the Canebrake Company. The new company, formed by former Confederates

Francis Strother Lyon, purchased the ironworks site from the Federal government for $45,000 in January 1866. They had the site back in production by November 2, 1866. In January 1867, Lyon turned the deed over to Gorgas, who became president of the newly formed Brierfield Ironworks. Gorgas leased the ironworks to Thomas S. Alvis on August 2, 1869. He ran the works until forced to close due to economic conditions following the Panic of 1873.[3][4][5]

The facilities were purchased and reactivated by William D. and Kearsley Carter, of

coke ovens, and a washer built. However, at least partially due to the competition from cut-wire nails out of Pittsburgh, the ironworks finally closed for good in December 1894.[3][4][5]

In the years following the closure the site lay abandoned. During the World War II era thousands of bricks were scavenged from the site. In 1976, the Bibb County Commission created a park containing 45 acres (18 ha) at the urging of the Bibb County Historical Society. This initial effort has evolved over the years into what is now the Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park.[1][4]

The modern park

The structures and sites that contribute to the National Register of Historic Places listing include the ruinous brick furnace (c. 1860s, 1880s), the tramway bed from the railroad (c. 1860s), the brick foundations of the rolling mill (c. 1862, 1880s), the nailery foundations (c. 1880s), coke ovens (c. 1880s), cemetery (c. 1850s), and the superintendent's house (c. 1870s).[4]

Several other structures have been moved to the park from other nearby locations. They include the Ashby Post Office (c. 1900), Brierfield Ironworks Park Office (1894), Wilson Hayes House (c. 1900), J. Henry Jones General Store (c. 1900), Lightsey Cabin (1840), Sims-Hubbard Log Cabin (c. 1850), Billy Mitchell Cabin (1880s), and Mulberry Baptist Church (1897).

nature trails, campsites, and a swimming pool.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Brierfield Ironworks". Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  2. ^ "Brierfield Furnace". National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form. National Park Service. November 20, 1974. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Bibb Furnace". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
  4. ^
    Historic American Engineering Record
    . Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0-8173-0987-9
    .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brierfield Furnace.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brierfield_Furnace&oldid=1187506977"