Washington Iron Furnace
Washington Iron Furnace | |
Exterior view Washington Iron Furnace | |
| Location | 108 Old Furnace Rd., Rocky Mount, Virginia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°59′13″N 79°53′31″W / 36.98694°N 79.89194°W |
| Area | 9.9 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | c. 1770 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73002014 |
| VLR No. | 157-0029 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 20, 1973 |
| Designated VLR | October 17, 1972 |
Washington Iron Furnace is an historic iron furnace, located in Rocky Mount, Franklin County, Virginia. The granite furnace was built around 1770, and measures 30 feet high on its south face. It helped establish industry in the county, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Considered one of the best preserved furnaces in Virginia, it was built against the side of a hill so that iron ore, charcoal and limestone could be transported to the site by wagon along the ridge and dumped into the top of the furnace. The original cart road and ten-yard-long bridge leading to the top no longer exists.