Lawrence Furnace, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
and Lawrence Lime Kiln

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Lawrence - Is on a run off Hells Run, a branch off Slippery Rock Creek, in Slippery Rock Township. Per s&t this furnace was built by Emory, Culbertson and Brackenridge in 1846. After a few years they sold it to Kennedy, Campbell and Co. Later the furnace was acquired by Foltz and Jordan, to whom it still belonged in 1877, although it went out of blast in 1875(s&t). Per (lpg) the furnace operated from 1865 to 1873. We believe s&t has mistaken the true Lawrence furnace for a lime kiln built farther down Hell's Run near a waterfall. The actual furnace site is on a small branch off Hells Run and about 3/8 mile from the kiln(lpg).(P)(V)(rp,he-2004).
Follow PA65 north from Elwood City to Energy. In the village the road divides, PA65 bearing left and PA388 continuing straight ahead. About 100 feet before reaching this intersection, Shaffer Road goes to the right. Follow this road about 1-1/4 miles. Cross SR2022 (Center Church Road) and proceed on Shaffer Road for 0.1 mile to a parking lot on the right hand side. GPS 40º 55.880'N - 80º 14.392'W. This is the McConnell's Mill State Park. Walk downstream on a well-groomed trail crossing to the north side of Hell's Run. At about 0.1 mile, the North Country Trail (in the park called the Slippery Rock Gorge Trail) bears left and you turn right, crossing Hell's Run a second time. About 60 yards before you reach a third bridge (over a small tributary of Hells Run) walk to the right upstream of the tributary in a level glade about a city block until you reach the remains of the millrace and then the depression in the ground and a large pile of stones and rubble about 15 foot high where the furnace probably stood. Slag piles line the creek on both sides. GPS Coordinates 40º 55.832'N - 80º 14.194'W.(rp-2004) Return to the bridge and go right on the trail to a junction (a total of about 0.5 miles from the parking area) where the right hand fork leads to a railing around the top of a lime kiln for the furnace. GPS 40º 55.808'N - 80º 13.946'W (Kiln 40 ft. east). The left fork descends steeply to the lime kiln entrance in the cliff to the right. GPS 40º 55.811'N - 80º 13.911'W. (Kiln 30 ft. to south). The kiln is just a large hole in the ground, with an interior lining of fire brick. You can crawl inside the kiln at the bottom. Wooden steps continue downward and dead-end at the base of Hell's Hollow Falls. This is a very beautiful area. GPS Coordinates 40º 55.771'N - 80º 13.924'W.(rp,ph July 2004)
Thanks to Hank Edenborn for his research which led us to the correct location of Lawrence Furnace.

Lawrence Furnace Site
Lawrence Furnace Site

Lawrence Furnace
Mill Race Lawrence Furnace

Hells Run Falms near Kiln
Lime Kiln Top

Lime Kiln Opening at Bottom
Grotto near Lime Kiln
Lawrence Furnace Special Sources:
A Guide to the Old Stone Blast Furnaces of Western Pennsylvania, Myron B. Sharp and William H. Thomas (s&t)
www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/ParkGuides/pg4_9/Site2.aspx (lpg)
Pat & Michael Hom, San Diego, Ca., Lawrence Lime Kiln, Neshannock, Wilroy, (ph) Hank Edenborn, Finleyville, Pa. Lawrence
Copyright © Richard Parks, Last updated January 30. 2010