ARDEN — One of many blast furnaces in this iron ore-rich region, Clove Furnace in the hamlet of Arden opened in 1854, producing some 5,000 tons of iron in its first year of operation, and more than 100,000 tons in its history.
Iron produced here was used for the manufacture of stoves and other hardware. It produced iron which supplied Robert and Peter Parrott's West Point Foundry at Cold Spring, which produced the highly effective Parrott Rifle (cannon) utilized by the Union army during the Civil War.
The furnace was shut down in 1885 and now serves as headquarters of the Orange County Historical Society.
The restored stack, spillway and other buildings provide a rare glimpse into an important 19th-century industry in the Hudson River Valley, while the adjacent museum explains the iron-making process and offers displays about other aspects of Orange County history.
Hiking trails in Harriman State Park pass many of the mines that supplied this and other furnaces.
Source: The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area web site.
Photos by Robert G. Breese