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Forging Alabama’s legacy: The definitive history of every blast furnace from pioneer charcoal fires to industrial giants.

Alabama Blast Furnaces by Joseph H. Woodward II offers the only comprehensive history of every blast furnace constructed in Alabama between 1815 and 1940, tracing a vital chapter in the state's iron and steel legacy. Beginning with the pioneering Cedar Creek charcoal furnace in 1815, Woodward meticulously chronicles four distinct eras: 

          Pioneer Era (1815–1861): Early, locally focused furnaces that laid the foundation of Alabama’s iron industry;

          Civil War Era (1861–1865): Furnaces mobilized for the Confederate war effort, including Northern raids, labor shortages, 

          and innovation under duress;

          Reconstruction Era (1866–1879): Transition from stone-stack furnaces toward iron- and steel-shelled technology; and 

          Modern Era (1880–1940): The rise of large-scale coke-fired plants that propelled Alabama onto the national and international stage. 

The heart of the book is a rich series of illustrated, furnace-by-furnace histories—capturing specifics on every site, including four that were built but never operated. With 50 detailed illustrations and rigorous documentation, this reissue—part of the Library of Alabama Classics series—features a new introduction by historian James R. Bennett, who situates Woodward’s work in its historical context and underscores its lasting relevance.

Originally compiled in 1940 by a member of the Woodward Iron Company family, the volume remains a seminal reference for scholars, students, and industrial history enthusiasts. Its thorough scope ensures every furnace—whether a modest pioneer operation or a towering industrial complex—has its story preserved. As one reviewer notes, this work covers furnaces that “made Alabama internationally significant in the iron and steel industry,” offering a level of detail unmatched in regional history. 

 

This guidebook of historic iron-production sites is designed to give the reader a factual and illuminating look at the people and events that shaped Birmingham into one of America’s leading steel centers. Iron & Steel is heavily illustrated with both color and historical black-and-white photographs. It can be used while visiting parks or read as a coherent volume before or after a visit.

The book contains chapters devoted to the larger preserved sites open to the public, such as Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark and Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. It also highlights lesser-known, yet still accessible, sites such as Blocton Coke Ovens Park. The work provides easy-to-follow maps for every site as well as driving directions to the more remote locations, giving visitors easy access to all the notable iron and steel sites in Jefferson, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Bibb counties. Each chapter also includes a variety of historical information, with accompanying photographs, in order to present the reader with a detailed and comprehensive account of the Birmingham Iron and Steel District.

Featured sites include: Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park; Shelby Ironworks Park; Billy Gould Coke Ovens Park; Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park; Oxmoor Furnace Site; Irondale Furnace Park; Helena Rolling Mill Site; Red Mountain Park, Iron Ore Mines; Lewisburg Coke Ovens Park; Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark; Ruffner Mountain Nature Center; Blocton Coke Ovens Park; and Vulcan Park and Museum.