Great-Grandma and Grandma come to town! Day 4-Buckeye Furnace

After being thoroughly confused on Ohio's back roads (at one point, we thought we weren't even on a actual road), we arrived at Buckeye Furnace. Built in 1852, the furnace was used for making "pig iron", which was a successful industry then. It was incredible to come upon this huge structure in the middle of practically nowhere.
I don't think photos do justice to its enormity. And this was done before inventions like excavators and cranes!
This is the inside of the ground level, where the iron was actually heated up.
Despite reading all the information plaques, I still have really no idea the technical details of the furnace. I did learn, however, that the fall of the area's prosperous iron industry came in part as a result of the then-new booming iron industry in the Iron Range. You know...the one in northern Minnesota...where Eric and I grew up. Ironic, isn't it? HAHAHA!

Ahem. Anyway, Mari and Joshy, less interested in the actual furnace, played happily in the sand created by the sandstone.
They also got a kick out of this huge wheel that was used for pulling out dross from the sought-after iron.
Much to their delight, and their mother's horror, they could move the wheel themselves.
I was sure the whole thing would come crashing down, but thankfully, the craftsmanship stood the test of time. They were quickly ushered outside to climb on the rock paths instead.
After a good while of soaking in the history, we decided we were hungry and walked back to the picnic area.
We enjoyed a light snack before we left,
and were relieved to find another, much shorter and less confusing, route home.