The Hanging Rock Iron Region
Charcoal iron production in Ohio was centered in the Hanging Rock Iron Region, a geographical area extending from Hocking County to the Ohio River and including portions of Northern Kentucky. The region encompassed an 1800 square mile area that was rich in deposits of iron ore and limestone and was covered by a forest that supplied the raw materials for charcoal. The first furnace was built in 1826 and by the 1860's, sixty-five furnaces were located in the region.
Stimulated by a need for munitions during the Civil War, the demand for iron produced by the Hanging Rock furnaces increased. After the Civil War, larger and more modern furnaces were built elsewhere, and the smaller furnaces of the Hanging Rock Iron Region could not compete. By the beginning of the 20th century, the once prosperous industry had all but disappeared.
Courtesy hmdb.org
