This charcoal-burning furnace incorporated innovative design features and ranked among the most technologically sophisticated furnaces in the United States. Its interior included a bosh lined with uncut firestone, a tapering firebrick lining imported from off site, a hearth of sandstone block construction, rubble filling the void between stone and firebrick, skillfully fitted stone masonry, and a tuyere arch built with two courses of common brick and one course of firebrick. Exhaust gases circulated around retorts to heat the blast air, an air-supply pipe carried air from blowing cylinders, cooling water helped prevent the tuyere from melting, a stone channel called the sow carried molten iron to the casting house, wrought-iron rods and anchors reinforced the furnace, and a downcomer pipe conducted super-heated air from the blast stove to the bustle pipe. Massive stone blocks cut from local bedrock, dressed corners, tapered arches, and common bricks made from local clay reflected the skill and craftsmanship involved in its construction. Completed in 1854, the structure has stood on this site for over 150 years with almost no care or repair, reflecting the perseverance of the men who designed, built, and operated it despite harsh conditions and uncertain prospects for success.