FIRST Iron Rails Made in America - Mount Savage, MD
N 39° 41.906 W 078° 53.057
17S E 681396 N 4396426
Mount Savage, Maryland, was where the first iron rails were made in the United States.
Waymark Code: WM69E7
Location: Maryland, United States
Date Posted: 04/27/2009
Views: 8
With iron and coal discovered in the area, in the mid-19th century Mount Savage became an important center for iron making. Two large iron furnaces were built by Maryland and New York Iron and Coal Company. In 1844, the first solid-track iron railroad rail was milled in the United States, here in Mount Savage. Before that all rails were imported from England.
Ruins of one of the furnaces still stands and the local historical society hopes that it will be restored. The area of the ruins is not posted and was quiet on the Sunday morning when we visited, but please be considerate if you visit.
There is a lot of history to see in Mount Savage. If the Historical Society building is not open, you can use the map posted outside to find the historic sites worth visiting.
History of the iron works and more can be found at the Mount Savage Historical Society website: (
visit link)
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