Moratock Iron Furnace
Also known as: Moody's Tunnel Iron Works; Moratock Mining and Manufacturing
Why it's listed
Rising beside a bend in the Dan River east of Danbury, this granite iron furnace is the only visible remnant of the Moratock furnace and forge complex. Built of rough-quarried, unmortared granite blocks, it is a trapezoidal cube about 28 feet square at the base and 28 feet high, with arched vaults on three sides leading to a fire-brick-lined interior. Ore, charcoal and limestone fed the forced-blast furnace, and a waterwheel powered the bellows through a dam, tunnel and flume. Nathaniel Moody and John Pepper are believed to have built it in 1843 as Moody's Tunnel Iron Works, although it may replace their original furnace. Later operators included Reuben Golding, who helped form the Moratock Mining and Manufacturing Company in 1862, and Jonathan Heck, who reactivated it after 1875. It is considered one of North Carolina's best preserved early iron furnaces and a fine example of stonemasonry. The Taylor family held the site until 1973, when it passed to Stokes County for a park.
Significance in brief: It is one of the best preserved of the few eighteenth and nineteenth century iron smelting furnaces known in North Carolina. It is an excellent example of the stonemason's skill and one of the few surviving structures of the antebellum iron industry in the state. Its history also reflects the state's small-scale iron production and its Civil War-era revival.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 74001376, listed July 30, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Danbury off NC 89, Danbury |
|---|---|
| County | Stokes County |
| Listed | July 30, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001376 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Nathaniel Moody and John Pepper (believed builders, 1843) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and unaltered on its original site; deeded to Stokes County in 1973 for use as a county park. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 36.40761, -80.19957 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 74001376.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6909295
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.