Catoctin Furnace

On the eve of the American Revolution, theJohnson brothers founded Catoctin Furnace near present-day Thurmont.

Catoctiniron was turned into bombshells used against the British at the Battle of Yorktown.

After the colonies won theirindependence, business boomed for the ironworks.

The labor of African slavesand European immigrants produced household goods, tools and stoves for theyoung country.

A small iron-making village evolved around the industry, andthough the furnace closed in 1903, its legacy is still remembered andcelebrated today.

It was rescued from imminent destruction in the 1960s and isnow listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This proud history waschronicled in full by beloved local historian Elizabeth Yourtee Anderson.

Discover the story of Catoctin Furnace, which for more than 130 years helpeddefine the industry, history and culture of western Maryland.