This was the first hot blast iron furnace built within the legendary Hanging Rock Iron Region of Ohio. I also read that it was the first hot blast iron furnace in the United States. John Campbell was the man responsible for converting it to hot blast. His idea proved to be very successful. This iron furnace sat idle from 1877-1886, before being rebuilt and converted to cold blast. It operated for 20 more years before going out of blast for good in 1906.