Furnace Mountain (Virginia)

Summary

Furnace Mountain is the tallest peak of Catoctin Mountain in Loudoun County, Virginia. It rises steeply from the southern banks of the Potomac River across from Point of Rocks, Maryland and continues southward for 1 mile (1.6 km), reaching an elevation of 891 feet (272 m) before falling to a gap between it and an unnamed peak of 800 feet (240 m). Its name arises from the iron furnaces located at its base, which operated from the 1790s to the 1870s. The furnaces were used to process iron ore mined from the mountain, much of which was used to build the burgeoning city of Washington D.C.

Furnace Mountain
Furnace Mountain as seen from Point of Rocks, Maryland, with Point of Rocks Bridge in foreground
Highest point
Elevation891 feet (272 m)
Prominence491 feet (150 m)
Parent peakCatoctin Mountain
Coordinates39°16′N 77°33′W / 39.27°N 77.55°W / 39.27; -77.55[1]
Geography
Furnace Mountain is located in Virginia
Furnace Mountain
Furnace Mountain
Location of Furnace Mountain in Virginia
LocationLoudoun County, Virginia, U.S.
Parent rangeBlue Ridge Mountains

References edit

  • Scheel, Eugene. Loudoun Discovered:Communities, Corners and Crossroads. Vol. 2, 2002, pp. 57–59.
  1. ^ "Furnace Mountain". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.