Existing comment:
Little Hunting Creek (1)
Most early industries used water to power simple machinery. Little Hunting Creek provided Catoctin Furnace was the renewable energy needed to power the waterwheel of the first furnace. The wheel's power pumped the furnace bellows creating a blast of air that kept the smelting fire at the very high temperature (around 3000 degrees Fahrenheit) needed to melt the ore. Later bellows were steam driven.
The Johnson Brothers dammed and redirected some of the creek. Water flow could be controlled and released with more energy down stone and earthen raceways. Other small industries, such as a grist mill, also used water power with Little Hunting Creek. |