Clarion County, PA
Built: 1845
Coordinates: 41.29228, -79.3117
Helen Furnace, originally named “Hieland Furnace” was one of 31 iron furnaces in the “Iron Country” of Clarion County, a leader in the iron boom from 1828 through the middle of the century. The furnace was rebuilt in 1977 and is situated in a park with pavilions and benches located at the top of the hill.
The following is from the informational sign at Helen Furnace:
“Robert Barker and William S. Packer erected the furnace at the State and Clarion road crossing, on the old McNaughton farm, in 1845. The builders named it “Highland” Furnace in honor of Alexander McNaughton who prided himself in being a Highlander, but the word being pronounced after the Scottish dialect “Hieland” (Pronunciation with Scottish accent was heeland) the name was corrupted to “Helen” Furnace, leading to the erroneous supposition that it was christened with a feminine name. The name of the township was the same origin; it is commonly, but incorrectly, pronounced “Helen” township. In 1850 it was owned by W.S. Packer and Company. On Barber & Packer’s failure the property for a short time was in the hands of David Richey, and was finally purchased by Samuel Wilson, with whom D. McKim, of Strattanville, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, was a partner for a while. The property passed into the hands of Samuel Wilson, who ran it till 1857. It was a two-tuyere Cold-blast Charcoal Furnace with an eight-foot bosh, thirty-two feet high, and powered by steam. In twenty-six weeks of 1856 it produced 756 tons of iron out of buhrstone coal measure ore mined back of the tunnel head. The Furnace was reconstructed in 1977.
Capacity in Tons…………………………1,500
Kind of ore used…………………………Argillareous Carbonate
No. of Men & Boys Employed……..100
No. of Horses & Mules Employed..70
Stack No. Tuyeres………………………2
Stack Bosh………………………………..9 feet
Stack Height………………………………32 feet
Kind of Power used…………………….Steam
Kind of Metal made…………………….Close Gray Iron
Largest Product………………………….1,500 Tons
Actual Product in 1849……………….1,000 Tons”
Visit more Iron Furnaces and Pre-Industrial Relics
