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Iron Works Superintendent
Richard Harrison
1808-1882
Born in Springshire, England, and an iron-molder by trade, Richard Harrison served as superintendent of the world's largest iron foundry, located in Liverpool. He immigrated to Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1843 then on to Utah in 1849. He arrived in Cedar City in 1851 among the community's very first settlers. Here he helped establish the Iron Mission and organize a company for the making of iron. He was superintendent of the company, helped design and build the original iron furnace, and on Sept. 30, 1852, presided over the manufacture of the first iron from iron ore in Utah. He represented Iron County in the Territorial Legislature (1854-1855) and in 1860 moved to Pinto, serving for many years as a superintendent at the Union/Pinto Iron Works at Old Irontown (Iron City). Stalwart worker and planner, Richard Harrison demonstrated all of the qualities of a dedicated leader.
The Trial Run
For nearly a year the settlers of Cedar City labored to establish a new iron foundry on the banks of Coal Creek and by Sep. 29, 1852, the community was ready for a trial run of the new furnace. The entire town – men, women, and children – crowded around the foundry to witness the torch being applied and the blast turned on. Then they waited throughout the night to see the results, the children sleeping on quilts spread on the ground. The adults wandered about, looking forward to the arrival of daybreak when the process was scheduled to end. As the sun came up over the mountain ridges on Sept. 30, 1852, Richard Harrison proclaimed that the time had arrived and ordered an ironworker to take a pole and tap the furnace. As he did, a small stream of molten iron came belching out. The crowd began to dance and cheer, shouting "Hosanna," as the first iron poured from the furnace. Before nightfall, Harrison and three others were on their way to Salt Lake City to carry the good news and a bar of pig iron to Brigham Young.
Statue by Kreg Harrison |