Etna Furnace
Also known as: See Also:Etna Furnace (Boundary Increase); Etna Furnace (Boun
Why it's listed
Begun in 1805 on a heavily wooded tract along the upper Juniata River, Etna Furnace was built as more than an iron works. Its founders, Barree Billy Moore, John Canan and James Stewart, formed the Etna Iron Furnace Company and laid out a complete community. Surviving structures include a four-sided stone furnace about 16 feet high, a blacksmith shop, a long three-family tenant house with four chimneys, a stone store and paymaster's office dated 1832, and a horse and mule barn. Several buildings are now reduced to ruins or foundations. The furnace was active until the late nineteenth century, and during the years after the Civil War it produced as much as 100 tons of charcoal iron and 600 tons of bloom iron annually. Its value lies in the variety and number of its remaining buildings, which illustrate how a company-owned ironmaking settlement operated in the mid-nineteenth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the furnace and its contiguous structures are one of the best surviving examples of an early iron-making community in the state, both in the number of buildings and their variety. It also notes that the surviving industrial facilities and workers' housing still remain in fairly good condition. A section of the Union Canal adjoins the property, and the nomination holds that proper restoration could make it an excellent example of mid-19th century iron production and company-owned communities.
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 73001593, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N of Williamsburg, Catharine Township, Williamsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Blair County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001593 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 150 |
| Within district | Etna Furnace (Boundary Decrease) |
| Coordinates | 40.52620, -78.18597 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001593.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5404701
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.