Folks;

I'm a historian of sorts, specializing in Blast Iron furnaces. To date, I've surveyed 50 furnaces, several coke ovens, and other furnace related sites in 8 states.

Yesterday, my wife and I visited Dickson County, re-visiting and taking photos of Carroll Furnace (a Montgomery Bell furnace built around 1820), Belleview, another Bell Furnace (built around 1825) and Cumberland Furnace. We were surprised to find, at Cumberland Furnace, what for all the world seems to be TWO separate stacks. A little research this morning revealed that there were indeed, two separate furnace operations there. The latter one, with the hearth and furnace foundation located directly behind the Church of God of Prophecy was coke fed. But the former one, which I believe to sit near the two story brick company house, below the granite bluff (from which the furnace would have been fed), is of even greater interest, being charcoal fueled and cold blast.

If anyone has further information on these two furnaces, and their associated buildings and so forth, I would very much appreciate hearing about it.

It's likely my research will go into a book one day; not a scholarly book, but one of not only fact, but also including folklore (such as: The cannonball lodged in the fork of a large tree. The shot was directed toward Brownsport Number 1 Furnace from a gunboat on the river, by order of General Grant).

Thanks for your time. I am and remain sincerely yours,

M Leon Knott
templehill@netscape.com