Type Local History Museum Phone +1 205-669-5385 | Website [1] | |
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Location 10268 County Road 42, Shelby, AL 35143 Address 10268 Co Rd 42, Shelby, AL 35143, USA Similar Shelby County Archives, Aldrich Coal Mine Museum, Brierfield Furnace, Heart of Dixie Railroad, Tannehill Ironworks | ||
The genesis of Shelby Iron Works also known as Shelby Iron Company dates back to December 29, 1842 when Horace Ware was able to purchase land south of Columbiana, AL from Green B. and Sara Seale. Today this site is known as the town of Shelby, Alabama. Horace Ware was also able to acquire timberland and hematite ore properties throughout Shelby County. With the acquisition of these materials Horace Ware began to build a cold blast iron furnace. The Shelby Iron Works Company started with meager beginnings by only producing 5 tons of cold blast iron a day because of its capacity. The lone furnace stack was built out of brick and stone and only stood 30 feet high. During the American Civil War, iron plating from the iron works was used on the CSS Tennessee, CSS Huntsville, and CSS Tuscaloosa, and in making cannons and shells manufactured by Churchill and Sons in Columbiana. The ironworks was connected to Columbiana by the Shelby Iron Company Railroad, which allowed the iron works to be connected to the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad. A detachment of General Emory Upton's division of Wilson's Raiders destroyed the ironworks on March 31, 1865.