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Baker Black Lick Buena Vista Indiana Iron Works Loop
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INDIANA COUNTY

in West Central Pennsylvania had four furnaces. We have visited two, Buena Vista and Baker. Another, Loop, needs further exploration to determine if remains are visible. and one, Black Lick, has no remains only a sign pointing to its general whereabouts. The must see site in Indiana County is Buena Vista. To find it currently requires a steep hillside climb down and up, and the fording of an old railroad trackside gulley. The western segment of the Ghost Town rail trail passes right by Buena Vista making it an easier find. Baker also is an interesting site with several old stonework structures identified, but not much left of the furnace itself.

  Baker Furnace
Baker Furnace Buena Vista Furnace
Buena Vista Furnace

Baker (aka Indiana Iron Works) - is along Finley's Run in Wheatfield Township.There were two furnaces built on this site. The first was built in 1837 by Henry Noble. The plant was bought by Elias Baker in 1848. The new owner tore it down and built a new furnace on the same site. Before the Noble Furnace was erected, a bucket factory stood on the site(s&t). Furnace foundations and traces of the millrace and wheel pit remain (P)(V)(rp,ph-2004).
To reach this site follow US22 from Armaugh to PA403 about 1-1/4 miles east. N40º 27.269' W079º 00.610'. Turn south (right) on PA403 for 2-3/4 miles. PA403 crosses a bridge over Findley's Run a few yards beyond the junction of PA403 and PA711. On the east side of PA403 just south of the bridge is a house. The remains are in back of the house and at the base of the hill. Be sure to get permission before going through the yard to the furnace. Go directly toward the hillside through the yard of the house and you will spot the ruins. The foundation of the furnace, several yards of the stone-lined millrace, the wheel pit and some retaining walls can be seen.
GPS Coordinates N40º 25.179 W78º 59.544'(P)(V)(rp 2004) to top
Black Lick -was along Blacklick Creek in Buffington Township not far southwest from the Eliza furnace in Cambria County. This furnace was built by David Stewart between 1844 and 1846. It was 35' high with an 8' bosh(s&t). It was a cold blast charcoal furnace, producing about 5 tons per day on a nine months production year. The only evidence of a furnace is a historical marker placed along the Rexis Access Hiking Trail located just outside Vintondale, Pa(jm-rp).
Two routes are given to reach the Blacklick marker;
(1) Follow US22 from Armagh 3.3 miles east to SR2013. Turn left on SR 2013 for about 1.3 miles to a bridge to the left over Blacklick Creek. Cross the bridge and the Rexis access hiking trail and look for the historical marker. The sign is located just north of the road along the west bank of Blacklick Creek at the trail. The road then curves to the right and leads uphill, and the furnace was in the curve of the road. The trail is on the right of way of the so called Blairsville Secondary, a coal hauler, abandoned in 1990. It is planned to become an extension of The Ghost Town Rail Trail which passes by the Eliza Furnace on the Cambria County line.
(2) Take US22 east from Armagh to PA403. Go north on PA403, crossing Blacklick Creek. Turn right onto River Road SR2012 and continue until the road makes a right 90º turn and then a left 90º turn. Look for the trail area which is marked. The sign is located just north of the road before crossing Blacklick Creek.
Approximate Coordinates 40º 27' 27"N - 78º 57' 55"W. to top
Buena Vista - is along Blacklick Creek in Brush Valley Township. It was built in 1847 by McClelland and Company(s&t). It was a cold blast charcoal furnace and was blown out in 1856(jm). This is a poorly preserved furnace but with quite a bit of the stack remaining, A triangular front arch is in good condition, and a round keystone right arch is discernable but only in fair condition with many stones above it missing. The back of the left side has fallen down but the left round keystone arch is still visible. The stone retaining wall for the charging bench is just above the furnace. The railroad right of way passes directly through the former charging bench. Much slag abounds. (P)(V)(rp-2004)
Follow US22 to Armagh. Turn left on PA56 N40º 27.300' W079º 01.905' Go north on PA56 2-1/4 miles past the north end of a bridge over Blacklick Creek to a dirt road on the left. This was the old village of Diaz. N40º 29.005' W079º 02.630' Turn left and go along the dirt road, the old road, 200 to 300 yards or to a barricade and a clearing which was formerly the path of the old road.. N40º 28.895' W079º 02.676' Park here. Walk down the steep bank to the the old railroad right of way. Walk right, (west) along the right of way about 200 yards until you are under or just beyond a high bluff on the left which is at the level of the charging bench.
N40º 28.853' W079º 02.780'. Look for an easy up and over on the left (south) side of the right of way. Climb over, down and to the left and you will be under the stone charging bench. The furnace is directly below and about 200 feet from the creek. The old railroad right of way, formerly known as the Blairsville Secondary, used to haul coal from the Diaz mine until it was abandoned in 1990. The furnace is now accessible from the western portion of the Ghost Town Rail Trail which passes by the furnace site.(ep). The eastern portion of this trail passes by the Eliza Furnace at the Cambria County line(icp).
GPS coordinates N40º 28.833' W079º 02.783' (rp-2004) to top
Loop (aka Benton) - was built in 1847 by Hampton and Smith(s&t), who also were listed as owners in 1849. In 1842 Elisha Dow Barrett was a partner in a Loop Iron Works, and his brothers Marcus and Lysander had an interest in the works at a later time. Marcus Barrett is shown in the tax records as paying taxes on the Benton Furnace in the 1850's, the property of which adjoined his property in the loop. We can conclude that the Loop and Benton furnaces were one and that the Barrett's had planned for the furnace before 1947. An 1856 Peelor map of Indiana County shows the Loop Furnace in a loop of Mahoning Creek in West Mahoning Township about a mile south of the Jefferson County line.(jlp/tas) According to the current owner of the property, Delbert Highlands, there is nothing to indicate a furnace existed here. There is some rubble which Mr. Highlands believes may be the remains of an old barn bridge. He also stated that the Federal Government cleared the land for flood control and much of what was on the flood control acquisition no longer exists, except for traces here or there of a farm. I believe this location should be explored to determine if any of the remains could have been part of an iron furnace community or if slag may be found downstream from this location.
The best way to visit this location is to start from Jefferson County.
Go west from Punxsutawney on PA36 then PA536 to a T intersection called Grange at approximately 79º 05' W.
Turn left onto SR3002 and continue to approximately 79º 08.75 W where Mc Divitt Road T301 comes in from the left.
Indiana County Special Sources:
Indiana County Parks - www.indianacountyparks.org/happenings/arch/ivc072903.htm (icp)
Tom Nagy (tn)
Delbert Highlands (Loop Furnace)(dh)
Ed Patterson, Indiana County Parks & Trails(ep)
Jodi L. Polsgrove(jlp) Paper on the Smicksburg area
Timothy A. Spencer(tas) In The Valley of The Fair Mahoining


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