Lewisburg Furnace, One Indian River, Harrisville, Lewis County, NY

Significance: The Lewisburg iron furnace is a representative example of a small-scale blast furnace, fueled by charcoal, used to produce iron ore prior to introduction of coal-fired furnaces in the U.S. in the mid-19th century. It was one of four charcoal iron works which were developed, with varying success, in those areas of Jefferson and Lewis Counties now contained within the Fort Drum Military Reservation. The Lewisburg furnace was first constructed in 1832, and is believed to have been rebuilt at least twice prior to its abandonment in 1881. The iron works were the focus of the village of Louisburg, renamed Sterlingbush in the 1850's and renamed yet again, as Lewisburg, in the 1870's. The furnace stack and portions of the wheel pit are the principal structural remains of the village today.
Survey number: HAER NY-189