Bear Mountain (Thomas & Brown) "New Stack" Furnace, on Guthrie Creek

All Text & Images: Copyright (2013)

This furnace is located on Guthrie Creek, a branch of Stamp Creek.   Incorrectly thought by some to be the Diamond Furnace,
by 1850 the property had been owned by John W. Lewis, Andrew Stroup, and Samuel Earle.   Land deeds and other records
show it to be one of the two Bear Mountain, or Thomas & Brown, furnaces (Lewis Furnace being the other).   The 1886 edition
of "The Directory of Iron & Steel Works of the U.S." reports that the Thomas & Brown "New Stack" was built in 1863, although
some records show other dates.   Thomas & Brown were the post Civil War owners, John D. Thomas and James R. Brown.
There is no evidence that this furnace was ever used to process ore.

Front of furnace

Front arch (this was probably the tuyere arch).

Breached left side arch (probably the casting, or working, arch).

View through upper casting arch at the now open interior of stack

Looking up interior wall of furnace stack.

View down into rubble-filled bosh

Broken stack wall

Looking out arch from broken interior of furnace.

One more view of inside the broken stack.

Left side of furnace, structure's rubble spilling out of arch.

Rear of the furnace.

Completing the views - right side of furnace.

Hard to visualize with the trees, but this was the water millrace.

Front of furnace from down in the millrace.

Pine covered earthen wall of the millrace.

With the trees leafed out, it would be very easy to miss this furnace.

Another angle

Detail of stone corner

Guthrie Creek, in front of the furnace.

Stones in the creek.

Another section of Guthrie Creek.

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All Text & Images: Copyright 2013.