Catoctin Furnace

The history of Catoctin Furnace represents, in microcosm, the history of the Industrial Revolution in America. From 1776 to 1903 iron companies mined the rich ore banks near Catoctin Mountain, smelted it in furnaces, and cast both raw pig iron and iron implements of every description. The earliest settlers to enter the Monocacy River Valley at the foot of Catoctin Mountain arrived in the 1730s. As is usual in pioneer societies, the settlers pursued agriculture as their primary livelihood. However, after the discovery of rich ore deposits, industrialization swept into the valley.