2026-04-16T12:53:38-04:00 Zend_Feed_Writer http://shenandoahstories.org/ Shenandoah Stories http://shenandoahstories.org 2017-07-13T13:37:40-04:00 2018-12-18T12:15:33-05:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/149 The Shenandoah Stories Team In 1821 Walter Newman purchased approximately 900 acres in the western part of Shenandoah County and one year later began mining and refining iron ore in the area. He called his production facility “Liberty Furnace.” Newman, and later his son Benjamin would operate Liberty until 1874 when it was sold to the Wissler family who had also purchased Columbia Furnace. The Wisslers, Frank and John, were responsible for expanding the two furnaces. Until then, iron production had been on the level of other, small family furnaces in the county. Under their direction both Liberty and Columbia grew until over 300 persons were employed there. They were responsible for mining ore, refining it, transporting it to rail centers, harvesting lumber to feed the furnaces, and maintaining a wide array of company structures. From this time onward the operations at the furnaces would be economic center of this area of Shenandoah County. Unfortunately, it also led to some problems as locals clashed with individuals brought in to fill vacancies, especially when the company began to hire African Americans. In January pf 1880 a race riot broke out and the owners and black workers were attacked. This two day event ended when the Wisslers agreed to hire only white workers. This eliminated a major employment source for local African Americans and forced many to emigrate or settle for lower paying service jobs. In 1884 a group of Philadelphia businessmen purchased the furnaces and named it Columbia Liberty Iron Company. They continued both operations until 1891 when the company was sold again to H.H. Yard of Philadelphia. He closed the Columbia Furnace and built a narrow gauge railroad, nicknamed the “Dinky” to haul the ore produced and goods to the furnaces and surrounding communities. However, making a profit proved to be difficult. Legal battles between Yard and the previous owners compounded the sites problems. In 1905 the company was again sold and reorganized as the Shenandoah Iron and Coal Company who hoped to turn a profit by modernizing operations. Their efforts proved to be unsuccessful and the furnace the closed in 1907 and the land sold to Joseph T. Jackson who used the railroad to transport lumber from the area. It closed in 1917 after the area hills had been stripped. Today the area bears little resemblance to how it would have appeared during the mining era. Nature has reclaimed the pits, former railroad grade, depot sites, and many related buildings. Only the main house and other structures survive. The Truban Archives at the Shenandoah County Library maintains a large collection of items related to this furnace. For more information on it go to countylib.org/2017-0005 For more (including 3 images), view the original article. 2016-06-02T17:23:50-04:00 2018-10-19T11:46:21-04:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/86 Shenandoah County Library Around 1803, the Pennybacker family constructed Columbia Furnace along Stoney Creek west of Edinburg. Additional lands were added in 1808 and the company was sold to John Arthur & Co. It was later owned by the Newman family, who operated it during the Civil War. That conflict saw the destruction of the furnace by Union forces. According to the historic site survey conducted in Shenandoah County, the superintendent’s house was the only building spared. This two story structure, built in the 1820s was altered by additions in the early 1900s. It is probably the oldest house in Columbia Furnace. After the war, the iron furnace was reopened by the Whissen family, who also operated Liberty Furnace. The company they organized was called the Columbia-Liberty Iron Company. It became the target of a race riot in January of 1880. The company had recently hired several African-American employees. In response, a group of armed white residents attacked both furnaces and drove away the owners. The militia responded and drove the rioters into the woods but was unable to fully disperse them. To prevent further troubles, the Whissens agreed to fire all black workers if the rioters returned home. They agreed, and the African American presence in the iron furnaces, dating from before the Civil War when slaves were employed there, ended. Local newspapers wrote there was a need to evict black labor was strong because of the tendency to cause problems. In 1884 the Whissens sold Columbia and Liberty Furnaces to a group of investors from Philadelphia. Two years later, the company went into receivership and the furnaces were closed. While Liberty later reopened, Columbia would remain shuttered for good. Soon after the land, including the superintendents house, was sold in small plots to the public. Since then, this site has been a private residence. For more (including 3 images), view the original article. 2016-05-12T13:06:50-04:00 2018-12-18T12:14:17-05:00 http://shenandoahstories.org/items/show/43 Shenandoah County Library In 1836 this area had been home to Elizabeth Iron Furnace. This was one of many small iron producing furnaces that existed throughout Fort Valley and Shenandoah County. Elizabeth utilized the power provided by waters of Passage Creek. Initially the furnace was only open seasonally. Operations were conducted during the winter months when the local slave population was idle and available to be used as a labor force. Later, as demand increased, the furnace operated around the clock. Shifts of approximately 50 individuals operated the furnace. This work was often difficult and dangerous. Laborers worked long hours, medical care was non-existent, and wages were low. A community emerged around the furnace. Over time a company office, store, post office, barracks, carpenter shop, blacksmith, stables, and company houses were constructed. Often immigrant furnace workers mingled with, and married into, the local community. The furnaces would not operate long after the Civil War. Larger more efficient iron furnaces emerged in other areas of the United States and small producers were forced to close. In 1913 the site became the property of the Federal government. The Elizabeth Furnace Recreation area was opened in 1960 on the site of the forest camp pictured above. It is home to the educational “Pig Iron Trail” which interprets the history of the area’s iron furnaces for visitors. For more, view the original article.