Carp River Forge
Encyclopedia
The Carp River Forge is an abandoned forge located along the Carp River
on the grounds of the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, at 73 Forge Road near Negaunee, Michigan
. It was the first forge constructed in northern Michigan; the site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1975. It is also known as the Jackson Iron Company Site.
company gathered materiel to begin its mining operations and to build a forge. Construction on the forge, supervised by William McNair, was begun in 1847 at a site on the Carp River, a few miles from the then-new Jackson Mine. McNair, however, knew nothing of forge construction, and progess was slow until forgemaster Ariel N. Barney arrived in July. Barney took over supervision of the project, and more progres was made. The forge site consisted of an eighteen-feet high dam
across the Carp, with a waterwheel supplying power, eight fires, and a forging hammer.
A small settlement, known as "the Jackson Location" grew up around the forge. The site was large enough to be assigned its own post office
, the Carp River PO, in 1847.
Construction continued until early 1848, and the first iron was made on February 10, 1848, by forgemaster Ariel N. Barney. These first pieces were sold to construct a steamer. However, in March, a wave of snowmelt carried away the dam on the river, and the forge remained idle until repairs were made in the summer.
The Carp River forge proved to be financially unprofitable, due in large part to the difficulties of transporting both iron ore and forge supplies to the forge site, and, as Mining Magazine dryly put it, "both from the want and excess of water as a driving power." The daily output form the forge was about three tons when it was working smoothly, which was rarely. The Jackson Mining Company operated the forge sporadically, and only until 1850. The Carp River post office closed in 1851. After that, the company leased the facilities to a succession of individuals and small companies, including a young Peter White
, who would go on to become one of Marquette's most prominent citizens. All the lessees lost money, and the forge was closed for good and abandoned in 1854, having made "little iron and no money."
Carp River (Marquette County)
Carp River is a river in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The Carp River is formed by the outflow of Deer Lake in Ishpeming Township north of Ishpeming at in the Upper Peninsula....
on the grounds of the Michigan Iron Industry Museum, at 73 Forge Road near Negaunee, Michigan
Negaunee, Michigan
Negaunee is a city in Marquette County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,576 at the 2000 census. The city is located at the southwest corner of Negaunee Township. The city is home to the Michigan Iron Industry Museum...
. It was the first forge constructed in northern Michigan; the site was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1975. It is also known as the Jackson Iron Company Site.
History
In the winter of 1846-1847, the Jackson MineJackson Mine
The Jackson Mine is an open pit iron mine located northwest of intersection of Business Route M-28 and Cornish Town Road in Negaunee, Michigan. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1956 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971...
company gathered materiel to begin its mining operations and to build a forge. Construction on the forge, supervised by William McNair, was begun in 1847 at a site on the Carp River, a few miles from the then-new Jackson Mine. McNair, however, knew nothing of forge construction, and progess was slow until forgemaster Ariel N. Barney arrived in July. Barney took over supervision of the project, and more progres was made. The forge site consisted of an eighteen-feet high dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
across the Carp, with a waterwheel supplying power, eight fires, and a forging hammer.
A small settlement, known as "the Jackson Location" grew up around the forge. The site was large enough to be assigned its own post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, the Carp River PO, in 1847.
Construction continued until early 1848, and the first iron was made on February 10, 1848, by forgemaster Ariel N. Barney. These first pieces were sold to construct a steamer. However, in March, a wave of snowmelt carried away the dam on the river, and the forge remained idle until repairs were made in the summer.
The Carp River forge proved to be financially unprofitable, due in large part to the difficulties of transporting both iron ore and forge supplies to the forge site, and, as Mining Magazine dryly put it, "both from the want and excess of water as a driving power." The daily output form the forge was about three tons when it was working smoothly, which was rarely. The Jackson Mining Company operated the forge sporadically, and only until 1850. The Carp River post office closed in 1851. After that, the company leased the facilities to a succession of individuals and small companies, including a young Peter White
Peter White (Michigan)
Peter Quintard White was one of the original settlers of Marquette, Michigan. He was a banker, businessman, real estate developer, and a philanthropist; and was involved in a number of the area's iron mining-related businesses, including acting as a director the Cleveland Iron Company...
, who would go on to become one of Marquette's most prominent citizens. All the lessees lost money, and the forge was closed for good and abandoned in 1854, having made "little iron and no money."
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