The The Falling Creek Ironworks

<body background="back.gif"><p><a name="AboutFCIW"></a></p><H2>Falling Creek Ironworks</H2> <CENTER> <table width="75%" border="2"> <tr> <td><img src="FURNACE STACK.JPG" width="129" height="122"></td> <td> <p align="center"><font size="6" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#FF0000"><b>The Falling Creek Ironworks</b></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="6" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="brown"><b>What It Is:</b></font></p> </td> <td><CENTER> <table width="75%" border="2"> <tr> <td><img src="FURNACE STACK.JPG" width="129" height="122"></td> <td> <p align="center"><font size="6" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#FF0000"><b>The Falling Creek Ironworks Foundation</b></font></p> <p align="center"><font size="6" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="brown"><b>What We Do</b></font></p> </td> <td><img src="FURNACE STACK.JPG" width="129" height="122"></td> </tr> </table> </CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </CENTER> <p align=justify><font size=3 COLOR="#800000"> <br> <B>Falling Creek Ironworks site was the location of the first blast furnace for smelting iron in the New World. Construction was in two stages. The first was from 1619 to 1621 and the second which promised to have a plentiful supply of iron by June of 1622 started in the spring of 1621. The furnace was destroyed by the Powhatans in their surprise attack on March 22, 1622 wherein all but two children were killed. It is also the location of an important Revolutionary War Forge that supplied iron to the war effort. The Cary Forge was destroyed by Benedict Arnold in 1781.</font></B></P><BLOCKQUOTE><P ALIGN="CENTER"> <img width=286 height=270 border=0 src="TIMBERS2.JPG" ALIGN="CENTER"><br>Isometric Drawing of the 1750-1781 Cary Forge Timbers at Falling Creek (44CF7),<br>Chesterfield County, Virginia.</P></BLOCKQUOTE> <H2><p align="center">About the Falling Creek Ironworks </p></H2> <B> <font color="#800000" size="3">The Falling Creek Ironworks has been investigated since 1879, mainly by historians. Hatch and Gregory (<A HREF="FC WEBSITE.htm">See the history section)</a> were the first to investigate the iron production technology of the site. All of the writings about the site taken together raise serious questions about when the site functioned, how many operations were there, who operated them, what went on at the site and what do the remnants visible today mean for the interpretation of the site to the public. The site is part of the Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation system and will eventually be a fully functioning park. </p> <p>The FCIW Foundation was formed to preserve, investigate, enhance and interpret the first American Ironworks, the site of the beginning of the iron and steel industry in the New World. Archaeological investigations were undertaken starting with a geophysical survey in 1999 that showed where the furnace was located by identifying a massive magnetic anomaly consistent with a furnace.</p> The FCIW seeks to promote the history and archaeology of the site through public education. Walking tours are held annually at the park. Archaeological investigations are ongoing. The FCIW states six major goals:<br> <ul><font color="#000000" SIZE=3> <li>Provide educational opportunities for the general public. </li> <li>Promote tourism by providing a regional tourism gateway to other heritage and natural resources. </li> <li>Conduct on-going archaeological investigations. </li> <li>Contribute to the revitalization of the surrounding community.<br></li> </ul> <p ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><font color="#800000" size="3">Participation in the investigation is encouraged. Specialist knowledge is helpful but what helps most is a desire to understand the beginning of American heavy industry. </font></p> <p><font color="#800000" size="3">The FCIW Foundation is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax qualified organization.  Donations to the ASV are fully tax deductible to the extent permitted by the tax code. The FCIW Foundation has a set of by-laws.</font></p> <hr> <center> <table width="900"> <td> <font color="#800000"> <center><font size=+0> <a href="AboutFCIW.html">About the FCIW</a> --- <a href="Announce.html">Announcements</a> --- <a href="FCIWHIST.html">Falling Creek History</a></font> --- <a href="FCWEBSITE.ppt.htm">PowerPoint Presentation on Falling Creek</a> --- <a href="Meetings.html">Monthly Meetings</a> --- <a href="Links.html">Archeological Links</a></font><br> </CENTER>