Callie Furnace

Callie Furnace is a late 19th Century iron furnace in northern Botetourt County, Virginia. It is accessible via an unmaintained road that connects Glen Wilton and Iron Gate. The road may be open during deer season (October-November), but is deeply rutted and pot-holed, and is best traveled on foot. Today, we approached from the Glen Wilton side. Maps (USGS topo maps, Google maps, and Apple maps) are highly inaccurate - so be warned!

This sign along the road tells you that the area is mostly used by hunters.

People will dump old tires any where in the National Forest. Since this road is behind at least two locked gates, it's mystifying how anyone could get the tires this far.

The site contains several structures. That's Lon at the left side of the furnace, which gives you some idea of the scale.

A closer view of the furnace.

At some point, two picnic tables had been added to the site, but as you can see, they aren't in very good shape!

The metal "deck" at the top of the photo covers a deep, brick-lined pit.

Slag from the furnace can be seen nearby.

It was a beautiful day, with redbuds at their peak.

An emerging buckeye leaf at the Callie Furnace site.

The colorful Birdfoot Violet (Viola pedanta) was a common sight along the road.

During World War II, Glen Wilton had an ammunition plant. It fell victim to a spectacular explosion in July 1942 - heard and felt for miles. Eventually, the remains of the ammunition plant were deeded to the US Forest Service, and a few remnants of the plant still exist.

These concrete "tombstones" at one time held tanks or pipes. Now they are being reclaimed by the forest.