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Wayne Furnace

Phase 2 Archival & Archaeological Assessment

In the spring of 2001, and again in 2002, Weaver & Associates conducted a Phase 2 archival and archaeological assessment of the Wayne Furnace Site (40Sy62), an early- to late-nineteenth century iron plantation located in Wayne County, Tennessee. The work was conducted for TDOT in preparation for the widening of State Route 15 (US Highway 64).

At the heart of any early nineteenth century iron works was the cold-blast charcoal furnace. These structures were typically square, with tapering sides, built of limestone blocks or brick. In addition to the furnace stack, iron plantations included a number of other buildings where the ore limestone was crushed, washed, and sifted, and where charcoal was processed and stored. A typical iron plantation included farmland, areas for livestock, housing for the workers and overseers, sawmills, a store, and office. In general, these enterprises were extensive, and required thousands of acres for procuring the raw materials needed to produce iron. The ownership history of the site is summarized in the following table:

Summary of owners of record and principal site events.

From 1840 court records we get a picture of the extent of the operation, which employed at least 48 mules, 10 wagons, an assortment of tools, livestock, and furniture. At least 41 male slaves and three female slaves were working on the plantation. There were about 5000 acres of timbered land attached to the furnace, and about 3000 acres to the forge. In 1854, the production of "Fortyeight" furnace was 2,445 tons of pig iron and castings. Evidently, two stacks were used alternately. The plant ran 12 months out of the year and used a steam-powered blast. Fortyeight Furnace produced more pig iron and casting tonnage in 1854 than any furnace in the state.

Our work at the site included excavation of four backhoe trenches and the hand excavation of four units. As luck would have it, we hit structural remains in our first backhoe excavation on the eastern end of the site. Designated Feature 1, this brick foundation was encountered about a foot below surface. It extends at least 8 feet below surface, which was the base of our test excavations. An extension of the trench to the south revealed the foundation as a solid brick platform with a formal brick outline and a jumbled brick core. At present we are not sure if this is the base of the stack, or if it is a platform for other machinery.

The deposits north of Feature 1 in Trench 1 are complex, and were a challenge to excavate. The upper 6 feet of deposits consisted of unconsolidated brick rubble, which would not hold a vertical profile. We had to leave a large balk in the center of the trench to help support the walls. We strongly suspect that this rubble is the result of the demolition of the last stack in the 1950s. At the base of the brick rubble, at about 6 feet below surface, we encountered what we believe to be the old ground surface, Stratum 5. Below this, in Stratum 6, are a series of black sand lenses, with splash iron and slag, that we assume to be associated with the sands used in the casting floor.

Trench 2 was excavated in the flat area to the east of Trench 1. The resulting profile showed about 5 feet of brick rubble over old surface deposits. Of particular interest was Stratum 9, which is a buried trench containing a cast iron pipe. Just as interesting are the deposits sealed beneath the spoil dirt created by digging the trench. These finely stratified deposits obviously predate construction of the pipe trench, and contained splash iron and glassy slag, probably associated with the antebellum period iron works of the Pointer Brothers, John Walker, and Royal Ferguson.

Our investigations also covered the top of the slope at the site, believed to be the location of the charging deck where charcoal, iron ore and limestone were loaded into the top of the stack for smelting. Here we found a large platform constructed of limestone blocks, which is probably the foundation of the charging deck or part of a trestle leading from the bank to the top of the stack. Near the limestone foundation, the landowner recovered a large cast iron cog. Its exact usage is not presently known: it may have been part of the iron crusher, or sifter to process the ore before it went into the stack, or it could have been part of the blast process.

To date, sufficient site-specific research has been obtained to outline the history of the site, identify its principal participants, recognize areas of intact archaeological remains, and to pose additional research questions. These questions concern site structure, the organization of the furnace community, and blast furnace technology. Recommendations for Phase 3 investigations include extensive excavations in the coming months.