Amateur Archaeologist Finds 17th Century Blast Furnace

[j d worthington]

The amateurs still contribute, thank goodness:

Amateur archaeologist finds old furnace - Yahoo! News

RICHMOND, Va. - The ruins of a 17th century iron blast furnace found in Chesterfield County is believed to be the first ironworks in English North America and the earliest known evidence of heavy industry in the New World, county officials said Friday.

County public utilities employee Ralph Lovern, an amateur archaeologist who often searches the area for Indian artifacts, uncovered the furnace along the banks of Falling Creek.

Historians say the furnace was built around 1619 by the Virginia Company of England.

Archaeologists and historians have known for years that an ironworks operated in the area. Heavy rains late last year caused flooding that cut a new channel along the creek's banks that exposed the ruins.

Falling Creek flows into the James River approximately a quarter-mile downstream. The site was considered ideal for a furnace, because it was the only location between Richmond and the Atlantic Ocean that had the water supply needed to power the furnace and transport iron ore excavated nearby.

The furnace could have produced 600 tons of ore a year, archaeologist Lyle Browning said.

The Powhatans attacked the furnace settlement in 1622, killing all workers. By 1624, the site had been abandoned.

 

[Angeline]

Quite interesting, thank-you for sharing..........

Thought I would add this, hope you do not mind.

The name "Powhatans" has been applied to all of the Algonquian-speaking Indians in Tidewater Virginia. "Powhatan" - pawd'tan, means "falls in a current" of water. The first known the Powhatan had nearly 200 villages, more than 100 of which are named by Capt. John Smith. The Powhatan tribes were visited by some of the earliest explorers, and in 1570 the Spaniards established among then a Jesuit mission, which had but a brief existence.

The Indians were generally friendly until driven to hostility, warfare ensued until peace was brought about through the marriage of Powhatan's daughter, Pocahontas, Indian princess, to John Rolfe, an Englishman.

In 1675 some Conestoga, driven by the Iroquois from their country on the Susquehanna, entered Virginia and committed depredations. The Virginian tribes were accused of these acts, and several unauthorized expeditions were led against them by Nathaniel Bacon, a number of Indians being killed and villages destroyed. The Indians gathered in a fort near Richmond and made preparations for defense.

In Aug., 1676, the fort was stormed, men, women, and children were massacred by the whites. The adjacent stream was afterward known as Bloody run from this circumstance. The scattered survivors asked peace, which was granted on condition of an annual tribute from each village.

In 1722, a treaty was made at Albany by which the Iroquois agreed to cease their attacks upon the Powhatan tribes, who were represented at the conference by four chiefs. Iroquois hostility antedated the settlement of Virginia. With the treaty of Albany the history of the Powhatan tribes practically ceased, and the remnants of the confederacy dwindled silently to final extinction.

 

[j d worthington]

Don't mind in the least; in fact, thanks for the information.

It brings up an interesting topic, though: Recently my roommate was going on about some of the discussions he's been hearing about political correctness; one of them involved casting doubts on the entire idea of the "first Thanksgiving" idea, claiming that it was all a fairly recent invention, and that the Indians hadn't provided any genuine aid to the settlers at the time.

That one rather took me aback, as I had trouble believing anyone could be that ignorant of American history, and yet claim to be interested in the subject. Even Increase Mather, for all his rather nasty jibes at the Indians, concedes that they played a major role in the early survival of the settlements... and that's hardly a "recent" piece of writing.....

Sorry. This is rather off-topic, but your post just reminded me of that one. At any rate, thank you for posting; much appreciated.

 

[Angeline]

Hi J.D. thanks,

I did a little research here on what your roomate was saying. The only facts I've come across disputing Thanksgiving, is on the date. Perhaps I've missed something, it wouldn't be the first time.........

This is basically what I was reading in several articles.

Pilgrims did not celebrate Thanksgiving every year. Several Presidents, including George Washington, made a one-time Thanksgiving holiday.

In 1863 when Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday, celebrated on the last Thursday in November.

F.D.R. changed the holiday from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday in November in 1939.

The Pilgrim's first Thanksgiving began somewhere on or about November 21, 1620/21.

There are only two accounts of the 1621 Thanksgiving; Edward Winslow's account, which he wrote in a letter dated December 12, 1621. The second was written by William Bradford 20 years later.


I'm sure your roommate is correct about the whole idea of "Thanksgiving" being debated, there is always topics such as this, being discussed.
Our History has shown us, where we have failed, sometimes I think & wonder......have we really evolved?