Thursday, September 2, 2010

Bluff Furnace Restoration Project

Welcome to the "official" blog of the Bluff Furnace Restoration Project (BFRP). The purpose of the BFRP is to put a new face on an old site. A remnant of the city's past, Bluff Furnace was an important and early industry in downtown Chattanooga. The furnace was built by iron master Robert Cravens in 1856 and produced raw iron for use in local foundries. The site was excavated in the 1980's by UTC archaeologists.

Through our research, we were able to reconstruct a life-sized replica of the cupola stack. Using the cupola framework as a "canvas," we intend to produce a visual interpretation of the site's history. The project is a joint venture between Mark Making (a local non-profit organization focused on the production of public art) and UTC archaeology students and faculty. Take a look at our progress as we translate the the history of Bluff Furnace into a contemporary visual icon of Chattanooga's industrial past. See link for a short summary of the site's history.

Link to East Tennessee Iron Company Historical Background

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