Canoe Furnace, Blair County, Pennsylvania
aka Soapfat Furnace

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Canoe (aka Soapfat) - Is near the Juniata River in Catherine Township on Township Run. It received its nickname Soapfat when a shipment of pork, brought over from Philadelphia for the workmen to eat, proved suitable only to make soap(s&t).The furnace is round, not square, and about 3/4 of the stack has fallen, but some of the inner lining can be seen. (P)(V)(rp-2003)
The furnace was round, not square, and about 3/4 of the stack has fallen. Go east from the junction of Frankstown Road and US22 in Frankstown past Canoe Creek to the junction with PA866.
N40º 29.052' W078º 15.014'
Bear right onto PA866. About 0.48 miles down this road a small stream (Township Run) runs from the left through a culvert under the road. Just past the culvert stone gate posts on the left beside the stream form the entrance to "Point View", a group of houses on the hillside. Park here.
N40º 29.320' W078º 14.600'
The property along the right bank of Township Run is posted "no trespassing". Go up to the first house on the left up the hill, a large stone and brick residence, and ask permission to cross their lawn and down to the run to reach the furnace site. Go down to near the creek and walk to the right to the site. The furnace is about 200 yards from the road, in a wooded area about 50 feet from the east bank of the run and against the hillside. You will reach a large pile of slag before reaching the furnace.
GPS coordinates N40º 29.405' W078º 14.590' (rp-2003)

Canoe Furnace - 2003
Looking East by northh
Canoe Furnace - 2003
Looking East

Canoe Furnace - 2003
Looking South
. Canoe Furnace - 2003
Retaining Wall for Charging Bench
Canoe Furnace Special Sources:
A Guide to the Old Stone Blast Furnaces of Western Pennsylvania, Myron B. Sharp and William H. Thomas (s&t)
Katrina Waddington, Willamsburg, PA
Copyright © Richard Parks, January 6, 2010