Civil War Iron Forge Confirmed.
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
Anna McCown's discovery last week turns out to be a gudgeon that was once attached to a water wheel shaft. One of four wings that secured the gudgeon to the wooden shaft is still attached. The scar along the top edge remains from one of the wings that was broken off.
The one day long archaeological investigation of the suspected Civil War Williams and Owens iron forge removed all doubt that this was the site of the short-lived ironworking operation. In addition to the gudgeon, we confirmed that a stone cluster along the banks of Roupes creek was once an intact stone wall, probably a water wheel pit. Back away from the creek, about 200 yards, two large stone piles proved to be fire place bases. We are grateful to the Gilmore family for permission to investigate this important site which is located on their private property.
Stone wall is probably a remnant of water wheel pit.
Mallory guards her find. Mallory Messersmith excavated a shallow trench along the down stream side of the cluster of stones that we have long suspected to be part of a wall. The trench confirmed our expectations revealing a stone wall that extended back into the creek bank.
Buried stone wall.
The wall is probably a remnant of the pit that housed the water wheel that drove the shaft that powered the iron forge hammer.
The crew dug five shovel tests at the site of the two stone piles discovered earlier in the week. Machine cut iron nails, whiteware fragments and several pieces of glass suggest that these piles were the foundations of chimneys for at least one house. Scattered brick fragments in the vicinity suggest that they were constructed of brick. Near by, the crew spotted the suspected remains of a spring house. Further away, an additional stone pile may be remnants of another domestic structure.
