Cherokee County’s Hidden Relic of the Civil War
by Bruce Baker
Located near Knox Bridge, where the Etowah empties into Lake Allatoona, the National Military Cemetery is a beautiful place of reflection, and a tribute to the many who have served their nation. Few people realize, however, that tucked behind it in a not too accessible point along Shoal Creek is a hidden relic of the U.S. Civil War: a large furnace built with the intention of supplying iron to support the Confederate cause. Near Cartersville, the much more well-known Cooper’s Furnace is very approachable by a hiking trail. Donaldson’s Furnace, at times also called the Shoal Creek Furnace, while less easily reached, has become popular with geocachers, some of whom say that finding the furnace stack in the woods feels a little like stumbling across a small Mayan Temple in the Peten of Guatemala.
The furnace has an interesting back story. In 1984, a researcher named Gregory Jeane located a Civil War map in the National Archives that identified the spot as Donaldson’s Iron Works; prior to that its existence was mostly known only to locals and those who’d been employed in the construction or maintenance of Lake Allatoona. Local history says the furnace was constructed but never completed, hence never actually used. This has since been confirmed by chemical and mineral analysis inside the furnace and the lack of any iron or slag found in the area.
Image: Vertical shot of interior of Donaldson's Furnace
Judge Donaldson acquired the property in a sheriff’s sale in October of 1837, as it was being sold to satisfy a lien against the prior owner for unpaid debt. He would keep the property until his death in 1892. Donaldson himself was a leading figure in the County, and he would be the first to establish a ferry crossing the Etowah at Canton. He also served as Justice of the Inferior Court from 1832 to 1861. The judge was wealthy: the 1849 tax digest listed him as possessing nearly 2,500 acres of land in varying states of quality, and the 1850 census records ownership of 26 slaves. By the 1860 census, his slaveholdings had grown to 35, making him the second largest slaveholder in the county prior to the beginning of the war. His net worth, estimated at $68,000, meant he was the wealthiest man in the county at the time.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Judge Joseph Donaldson would have been 54, his son Mortimer a spry 29, and his son William 15. He also had three daughters: Ann, Margaret, and Emily. The Judge himself was probably just a little too old to serve; reportedly he did not wish to see his sons march off to fight. As such, he proposed that he and his two sons construct an iron furnace capable of converting nearby deposits into functional iron for use. And as iron was critical to the war effort, his sons would be exempted from service to assist with this task. Much of this is oral history, and as Mortimer indeed served in the Confederate Army, one must take the Judge’s supposed “motivation” with a grain of salt. He was after all an ardent Confederate, and had a vested interest in the southern cause given his slaveholdings. There is little doubt that he fully intended to supply pig iron to support the war effort. Donaldson’s land dealings included acquisition of mineral rights for several properties along the Chattahoochee Iron Lead noted for their ore bearing capacity, another sign that he was serious in his intentions.
Why a Furnace?
Constructing an iron furnace along Shoal Creek made sense for a lot of reasons. First, a promised extension of the Etowah Railroad to Canton would’ve brought a transportation artery to facilitate shipments. The market for iron was considerable, and of the over 1,000 iron manufacturing establishments noted in the 1857 Iron Association Bulletin, only 13 were in Georgia.
Wartime created a need, and before it was over a dozen or more smelters were operating in the area. Furnaces were built along a creek at the base of a ridge, so that a waterwheel could power the massive bellows required to blast air through the furnace. The mill race at Donaldson’s Furnace, a deep ditch between the furnace and the creek, is still evident.
Image: exterior of Donaldson's Furnace today
If there are any geocachers out there interested in seeing it firsthand, you’ll find the furnace at N34 14.544 W84 33.599. And as this is a remote location, well off the beaten path, please remember the three rules of remote trekking. One, never go alone: if something unexpected happens or you get lost, that’s dangerous. At the very least, make sure someone knows where you’ve gone. Two, take everything you bring back with you. “Cache in, Trash out,” as they say; often I even bring a couple disposable plastic grocery bags so I can haul out anything someone less considerate has left. And three, respect the historic nature of the place. Take no souvenirs, stay off the furnace, do no harm. Donaldson’s Furnace is over 160 years old; let’s make sure it’s still there 160 years from now for others to discover and enjoy.