Cottage Furnace
The Cottage Furnace is an old iron furnace in rural Estill County that produced “pig iron” in the middle to late 1800′s. The remains are in very good condition.
Legend has it that there was a slave that had escaped from his cruel master and began working at this furnace. One day the cruel master found the slave and began chasing him. Rather than return to slavery and regular beatings, this slave jumped headfirst into the furnace and burned to death in the molten iron ore.
Tragedy also shut this furnace down. In 1879, the owner of this furnace received word that his son had suddenly died. While in shock, the owner shut the furnace down while it was still in full blast. The iron ore solidified and completely blocked the furnace. Because of this fact, the furnace was never able to be fired up again. The iron ore remains inside this furnace to this day. It has a nice parking/picnic area so bring your family, friends, and food and stay a while.
-Information obtained from www.kaht.net & www.oldindusty.org
Legend has it that there was a slave that had escaped from his cruel master and began working at this furnace. One day the cruel master found the slave and began chasing him. Rather than return to slavery and regular beatings, this slave jumped headfirst into the furnace and burned to death in the molten iron ore.
Tragedy also shut this furnace down. In 1879, the owner of this furnace received word that his son had suddenly died. While in shock, the owner shut the furnace down while it was still in full blast. The iron ore solidified and completely blocked the furnace. Because of this fact, the furnace was never able to be fired up again. The iron ore remains inside this furnace to this day. It has a nice parking/picnic area so bring your family, friends, and food and stay a while.
-Information obtained from www.kaht.net & www.oldindusty.org