Jackson’s Ferry and Shot Tower

By 1770 Capt. William Herbert had established a ferry across the nearby New River that became known as Jackson’s Ferry. In the early 1800s, Thomas Jackson erected the 75-foot shot tower to manufacture shot for firearms, using lead supplied by the Austinville mines. Molten lead was dripped through a sieve from the top of the tower, then fell through the structure and an additional 75-foot shaft beneath the building into a kettle of water. As it fell, the lead cooled and formed shot pellets, and the water cushioned the fall. A tunnel connected the shaft to the riverbank, where the shot was carried and loaded onto boats.

Austinville, Virginia · United States