BUTLER COUNTY
in Western Pennsylvania had seven furnaces. Only three have interesting remains. Winfield is the jewel of Butler furnaces having most all of the external stones intact except for one or two rows at the very top. The underbrush and trees around Winfield have been wonderfully cleaned up by Paul Burrows, of Cabot, Pennsylvania, who worked at the nearby limestone loading plant. Marion has one tuyere opening facing the creek, and Mt. Etna is a huge pile of stones, and was at one time a large furnace. Kensington and Hickory do not have much left, and Bruin and Maple have no remains, although the Maple site could stand another thorough look.
Marion Furnace
Winfield Furnace
Bruin (aka Dudley) - was along Bear Creek, in Bruin, Parker Township. In the field north of the road are large quantities of slag, especially along the creek bank. From s&t ."A large field almost completely covered with slag to a depth of several feet shows that a furnace operated at this place for a long time, If the slag was downstream from the stack, as was the usual practice it would place the furnace near the hillside where the road is now. The area has had various commercial ventures over the years and the road probably was relocated long ago." Nothing remains.
Go north through the town of Bruin on PA268. When the road jogs east then north, continue east on blacktop T686 past the Bruin Lumber Company (1960's) and across the railroad right of way and bridge over Bear Creek. Park at the east end of the bridge. In the field north of the road are quantities of slag, especially along the creek bank. From s&t "A large field almost completely covered with slag to a depth of several feet shows that a furnace operated at this place for a long time, If the slag was downstream from the stack, as was the usual practice it would place the furnace near the hillside where the road is now. The area has had various commercial ventures over the years and the road probably was relocated long ago." No trace remains. Approximate coordinates 41º 03.80'N - 79º 43.51'W. to top
Butler County Special Sources:
Biographical and Historical Cyclopedia of Indiana and Armstrong Counties, 1891, pages 478-479
History of Butler County Pennsylvania, R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895, end of ch. 69.
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~doverspike/Hughes=Daubenspeck=History.html
Paul Burrows, Cabot, PA.(pb)- Winfield Furnace preservation
Dan & Chris Dundon, Erie, PA., Hickoty, Marion, Mt. Etna
Pat & Michael Hom, San Diego Ca., Kensington, Maple, Winfiield
Richard lauser, Parker, Pa., Maple
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