User:Wikipelli/Tubal Furnace Archeological Site

The Tubal Furnace Archeological Site (also known as Spotswood Furnace, or Spottswood Furnace) in Spotsylvania County, Virginia is the site of the oldest (first ) identifiable blast furnace in Virginia. The furnace was constructed at Tubal, 13 miles downstream from Germanna, Virginia on the Rapidan River, in 1717 by Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood (1676-1740).

The name Tubal is taken from the biblical, Tubal-Cain, a person mentioned in the book of Genesis as a "worker in instruments of bronze and iron". Spotswood himself was referred to as the "Tubal Cain" of Virginia.

William Byrd II (1674 - 1744) visited the furnace in 1732 and described it as being built of stone with a 20 foot diameter wheel that powered the bellows. Water was brought to the wheel from nearby streams. Spotswood and his descendents operated the furnace until the early 18th century. In theory, Tubal Furnace had a potential output of 1000 tons per year.

History
The investors of the London Company attempted to establish a furnace for iron production at Falling Creek in 1622. In that year, however, many of the Europeans living in Virginia were killed by Powhatan tribes. All of the skilled laborers at the Falling Creek site were killed and the project never recovered.

The English Parliament tried to forbid the production of iron in the colonies in order to protect the English industries. England's iron supply was augmented by Sweden.

Alexander Spotswood was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Virginia in 1710. Spotswood brought German immigrants to Spotsylvania to work in the mines and furnace. He established to town of Germanna (named for Germany and Anne, Queen of Great Britain) as a settlement for the workers.

(in library)the first stable settlement of people in what was to become Spotsylvania County was the settlement of German immigrants at Germanna in May 1714.'Kemper, Charles E., ''The early westward moement of Virginia, Virginia Magazine of history and biography, Vol. XIII, 367-370, April 1906 in: This group of 12 families was brought by Spotswood to work his iron mines. .....

To encourage settlement of the frontier lands in Spotsylvania County/Virginia, Governor Spotswood suspended taxes in the new counties for 10 years and then took advantage himself - acquiring thousands of acres in the area of his mines. The furnace was operated by trained slaves. Spotswood made mention of the necessity of trained slaves in his will: "Whereas the said tract . . . called the mine tract is . . . appropriated for the carrying on an Iron work . . . it is necessary that at least Eight able working Slaves with twenty Children belonging to them should be annexed to the said Land and employed in the said Work..." (Orange County, Virginia, Will Book 1, 1735–1743, April 19, 1740)

''".... to the mines which were thirteen miles from Germanna, and one mile more to the furnace (Tubal). The Tubal furnace was located on La Roche Run. (pg 48)

Tubal Mine and Furnace Ruins (Spotswood) - 1714-1785. The archeological site is located 30 feet west of Pipe Dam Run, which flows toward the Rappahannock River; lies between an abandoned portion of Rt. 620 to the west, and Pipe Dam Run to the east; approximately 100-150 feet east of Civil War trench line (a part of the 477 acre laRoque Tract). Currently owned by McDiarmid Associates.

Resources to add
http://www.rodneyohebsion.com/steel.htm

Tubal Furnace Archeological Site: thirty (30) feet west of Pipe Dam Run, near Route 620.


 * Need photo


 * "In 1721, a vast new county was formed in the young colony of Virginia. Extending far beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains, this frontier outpost was named for Alexander Spotswood, Colonial Governor of Virginia. Much of Spotsylvania County's early development is attributed to Spotswood's ironworks that he founded in the early 1700's. Spotswood's "Iron Mines Company," mining and smelting operation, was founded in 1725 at Germanna. This was the first fully equipped iron furnace in the colonies and Spotsylvania County's first industry. A blast furnace, also founded by Spotswood, was operated in this area from 1730-1785. Remnants of the ironworks are still found in the County. At his death in 1740, Spotswood left behind, in the wilderness of Spotsylvania County, a nearly self-sufficient iron empire that set in motion the rise of America's iron and steel industry. Spotswood's Furnace was acquired in 1842 by the United States government who set up a forge and foundries. Here, the government made hundreds of cannons to supply the Mexican War. At that time, it was one of the most important cannon works in the country. "


 * FIND: WPA Historical Survey: Spottswood Furnace. 4.3 miles from Zoan Church. Established ca. 1722



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 * '''Discussion about location http://listlva.lib.va.us/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=VA-HIST;gDN%2Faw;200703152254210400
 * http://books.google.com/books?id=VKVMLMQyR0QC&q=Tubal#v=onepage&q=Tubal&f=true


 * http://npsfrsp.wordpress.com/2010/07/15/the-origins-of-the-wilderness-part-i-the-soil/


 * topo map - http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lon=-77.6116549&lat=38.330962&datum=nad83


 * http://fredmarkers.umwblogs.org/2008/03/20/59/


 * http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/112007/11172007/333236/index_html?page=1


 * http://www.waymarking.com/gallery/image.aspx?f=1&guid=95aef126-0087-44f1-a297-e0fe9301a18f&gid=3


 * http://books.google.com/books?id=1HhtncrS08MC&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=%22Tubal+Furnace%22&source=bl&ots=GaeKr1E-n7&sig=IJSR3EuS25ApGxMhVNjXYJv3hao&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TUO8T_GhPIrc9AT_5bVI&ved=0CIkBEOgBMAg#v=onepage&q=%22Tubal%20Furnace%22&f=true


 * "A progress to the mines in the years 1732" - byrd's visit
 * http://books.google.com/books?id=1HhtncrS08MC&pg=PA76&dq=spotswood+furnace&hl=en&sa=X&ei=HvbIT9riA4H00gG54IRr&ved=0CE0Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=spotswood%20furnace&f=false


 * http://books.google.com/books?id=NJa_64aH1iMC&pg=PA499&lpg=PA499&dq=%22Tubal+Furnace%22&source=bl&ots=PDZFnwa3dG&sig=W8chUbmQX7TSfa4WbUfFrPtT2OU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TUO8T_GhPIrc9AT_5bVI&ved=0CIwBEOgBMAk#v=onepage&q=%22Tubal%20Furnace%22&f=false


 * Check derivation of the word "Tubal"... see "Tubal-Cain" (iron or metal smith in Old Testament) - Spotswood was referred to (somewhere) as "Tubal-Cain"