Clinton Township Newsletter

1 7 J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1 Clinton Township has many well-known historical sites such as the Vought house, Beaver Brook estate, and historic districts to name a few, but there are many lesser known historic gems within the township. One historical gem in particular is the Amesbury Furnace located along the Beaver Brook Ravine in the northern areas of the Township. Historic Background: The Amesbury Furnace was part of the Union Ironworks which today is the Custom Alloy Corporation. The Union Ironworks was founded in 1742 by William Allen and Joseph Turner. William Allen was a loyalist (those loyal to the British Crown), Supreme Court Justice and prosperous slave holder from Philadelphia. In the 1700's Hunterdon County was part of the frontier. It was inhabited by Native Americas who vacillated from being friendly to the Europeans, to attacking the settlements. William Allen's family received a large amount of land from the Penn family, but needed it to be free of Native Americans threats to develop his business interests. Since Quakers generally supported Native American rights, William Allen became increasingly anti-Quaker. However, as Native American retreated from the area and threats to European settlers diminished, Allen and Turner established the Union Ironworks. The Ironworks were established in 1742 on 3,000 acres of land along the South Branch of the Raritan River. The Furnace: The Amesbury Furnace was part of the Union Ironworks. The name "Amesbury" relates to the town Amesbury in Wiltshire, England which is most famous for the prehistoric monument Stonehenge. Clinton Township's Amesbury Furnace is located along the Beaver Brook Ravine north of the Custom Alloy Corporation. The location was ideal as the rich iron mines were located in the hills above the ravine and water was available from Beaver Brook stream which runs through the ravine. The ore brought to the furnace was smelted using charcoal to make iron bullets or iron pigs. The iron pigs were then transported down the ravine to the Union Ironworks and milled into farm tools, building supplies and even cannon balls that were supplied to the army. Disrepair: Eventually, coal replaced the charcoal used to fire the furnace. It is believed that the furnace continued to smelt iron until 1931. A small dam and holding tank are still visible on the site today. As technology changed however, the Ironworks was sold, and the furnace was no longer needed. Revival: In 2019, the furnace had degraded to the point that the keystone arch was about to collapse leaving the furnace little more than a pile of rubble. Michael McGeough, a township resident, took it upon himself to stabilize the structure. He donated his own time, talent and treasure and worked diligently to stabilize the structure. The stabilization of the Ironworks is one example of many projects that are performed every year by volunteers in Clinton Township to help preserve and restore the historical gems which we are so fortunate to have. Many thanks to all volunteers, and Michael in particular! Location: Amesbury F u r n a c e i s l o c a t e d between David Post R o a d a n d H e r m a n T h a u R o a d i n t h e Beaver Brook Ravine, h o w e v e r , t h e r e i s no parking near the f u r n a c e . Y o u c a n park at Foran Field and enjoy an almost 1.5-mile hike to the f u r n a c e . Y o u c a n also see a part of the f u r n a c e o n d i s p l a y at the Red Mill Inn Museum in Clinton. C l i n t O n t O W n s h i p h i s t O r i C a l p r e s e r v a t i O n C O m m i s s i O n Getting to Know your Township – An Historical Perspective Series The Amesbury Furnace by Bill Buriak We're always interested in learning more about the history of our community. If you have stories, photos, or artifacts depicting the township's history, please contact the Clinton Township Historical Preservation Commission at 1225 Route 31 South, Suite D, Lebanon NJ 08833. You can also contact us at historic.clintontownshipnj@gmail.com. Michael McGeough is hard at work Michael, hard at rest after re-stabilizing the keystone arch. The original furnace cornerstone on display at the Red Mill Inn Museum. Amesbury Furnace

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