The Irontonian, 1948 — In an article about the Ohio Iron and Coal Company: “On April 23, these stockholders met, organized and dated their organization papers using the new name, Ironton… On May 3 the new company purchased the LaGrange furnace lands at the mouth of Storms Creek on the Ohio river… This land purchase included all the land on the river bank from Storms Creek as far up the river, a distance we now know as “South” to Jefferson street… On June 20, the first public land sale for the new city of Ironton was held.”
History
Start of Operation: 1836
Blowout: 1856
Daily Tonnage: 7
Built By: Hurd, Gould & Company
Stack: 32 feet w/10 foot bosh
Blast: Hot
Type: Charcoal
William Dollarhide Kelly leased LaGrange Furnace from 1851-1854 and made considerable money in this venture. (Lawrence Register)
Per J.P. Lesley, the ch fn was owned by the Ohio Iron and Coal Co, John Campbell, President. IN 1854 the fn produced 1,000 tons of iron out fo lower coal measure limestone ore mixed with some block ore. The fn was abandoned in 1856 for want of timber.
Directions
Take Rt 93 north from Ironton. Turn left onto RT 21 and follow west. The furnace will be on your left.
Have questions? Contact Nicole Cox at (740) 646-4104. We hope to see you there!
COVID-19 Information: Serving our community SAFELY is our #1 priority during this difficult time. The Museum is open and operating with certain restrictions, such as occupancy limits and increased sanitization practices. We encourage you to visit wearing a mask and practicing safe social distancing. Docents are available to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you soon!
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About Lawrence County, Ohio
Lawrence County, Ohio borders the Ohio River at the Southernmost part of the state. Six architecturally interesting bridges span the Ohio River, connecting Lawrence County with various locations in both Kentucky and West Virginia. Because of these bridges, metropolitan Ashland, KY and Huntington, WV are just minutes away from virtually anywhere in the county.
Lawrence County Ohio was organized December 20, 1816, the first Court of Common Pleas was organized March 4, 1817. In 2016, Lawrence County celebrated its Bicentennial… click here to view photos of the Grand Finale event.
The first election was held April 7, 1817, with Joseph Davidson, Joel Bowen, and David Spurlock elected county commissioners. Their first meeting was held Monday afternoon, April 21, 1817, at the home of Joseph Davidson in Burlington.
Lawrence County, Ohio was named after Capt. James Lawrence, a native of Burlington, NJ and a gallant naval officer of the War of 1812.
Lawrence County was home to 23 blast furnaces and was once the world leader in pig iron production.
The county seat is Ironton, where you will find our government offices, restaurants, museum, library, splash park, civic organizations, and is home of the famous Memorial Day Parade.
The Lawrence County Historical Society 