Principio Furnace
- Also Known As: Principio Iron Furnace also Principio Iron Works
- Vicinity: Address Restricted
Principio Furnace, located near Perryville, on the banks of Principio Creek at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, was the first blast furnace in the state of Maryland, and one of the first in the nation. The complex consists of the site of the original, 1723, furnace. The third furnace, still standing in 1970, was constructed in 1836, and was in blast until 1894. In 1890 the fourth and last furnace was built at Principio. When iron production at this site was discontinued after World War I, this furnace was dismantled and sold. The site has remained in essentially the same condition since the dismantling of the last furnace. There were at least four other furnaces at one time or another. The other furnaces and forges are no longer above ground, having been destroyed or dismantled. Near the 1836 extant furnace is a turbine which is connected with a blowing machine through a series of gears. Behind the furnace is a large heater which provided a hot blast for this furnace. The heater and blowing machine were probably built after the furnace, but the date of construction has not yet been determined. In the area surrounding the furnace is a large number of buildings; some have little connection with the production of iron, but were undoubtedly important in the everyday life of those who worked at the furnace. This relatively self-sustaining community provided food, shelter, and clothing for those who worked there. One of the more interesting of the structures at Principio is a circular, brick charcoal-burner which, according to local authorities, was used only once. The excellent condition of the exterior of the structure and the rather thin layer of carbon on the inside confirm this assertion. - NRHP, 2 November 1972