Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District

Just north of Luray, on the west bank of Hawksbill Creek, a nine-acre district preserves what remains of Page County's oldest iron furnace complex. Redwell Furnace was apparently established in 1787 by Derrick Pennybacker and later became known as Isabella Furnace, operating until the 1840s. A forge, flour mill and woolen mill followed, and industrial activity continued until the woolen mill burned in 1880. The surviving resources include two stone buildings from about 1800: the Isabella Furnace Office, with Georgian interior detail, and the Yager Spring House, a former dormitory-type dwelling with a large cooking fireplace. Also included are a cemetery, a stone foundation, the furnace bridge mound and Yager Spring, which powered the furnace and later mills. The district was listed for its role in the county's iron, milling and woolen industries and for its rare furnace-related buildings. No archaeological survey has been done, though further research could yield additional resources.