Rediscovery, Ongoing Work
The exact site of the Falling Creek Ironworks was unknown until relatively recently. According to an article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper on January 20, 2007, the heavy rains in the late summer of 2006 apparently eroded the creek bank and uncovered timbers of the furnace which were part of the structure. Early in 2007, a Chesterfield County Department of Utilities employee, who is also an amateur archaeologist, spotted them. According to the article, "The rest of the furnace is believed to be buried in the creek bank."
The location of the ironworks has long been suspected. A number of limited archaeological excavations and surveys were conducted by the Archaeological Society of Virginia, The College of William and Mary, Browning and Associates, LTD., and others. The location of the blast furnace was only confirmed in 1999 when Archaeo-Physics, LLC (working with Browning and Associates) did a comprehensive geophysical survey. A large magnetic anomaly consistent with the fired hearth of a blast furnace was located. In addition a number of other features were identified (probably buildings related to either the Falling Creek Ironworks or Archibald Cary's 1750-81 Forge).
As of March 2007, the Falling Creek Ironworks Foundation and Chesterfield County (which now owns the site) is in the process of having the timber which was recently exposed in the eroded creek bank dated using a process called dendrochronology. An excavation is planned for later in 2007 to more fully expose the timbers and possibly the blast furnace itself.
Read more about this topic: Falling Creek Ironworks
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