Well~~ here we go again......i forgot to publish this one, and my sister reminded me to...and, tomorrow at 5am, time to create number 9....
Social Column 8

Last Sunday was a beautiful spring day, and I found a GREAT place to enjoy it! Have you ever been to Furnace Town? I’ve seen brochures for it before, but truthfully, the thought of spending the day looking at an old furnace didn't seem too thrilling. Was I wrong!
My original mission was to cover the archeological dig they had scheduled, but I was so charmed by all of the other attractions, that I knew I had to share my entire trip with you. You enter Furnace Town via the visitor center/gift shop. Instead of going directly to the dig, I wandered the entire complex of early 19th century buildings. The grounds are beautiful, dotted by flowering trees and plants, and low benches scattered around. ( It would be a wonderful place to picnic. )
I visited the tiny church, with it's butter yellow pews, and wood-burning stove. The raised pulpit is made of carved oak, and the oil lamps in wall sconces provide light.
Anyone that enjoys tinkering around the house would love The Ernest Glaser Woodworking Shop, with it's display of antique tools.
There is a working smithy, displaying anvils and bellows and a huge fireplace to heat iron.
The Harrison House, a painstakingly restored cottage home, now houses antique dresses and hats from the period. Also on exhibit are taxidermied woodland animals, and old recipes like "Invalid Squirrel Broth" and "Black Bear Stew". My two favorite places were the broom-making shop and the weaver's shop. I asked Broom-maker Sandra Milito how she had become a craftswoman. "I came from a stressful background of hotel management ." she said. "I find this a peaceful, wonderful place to work." I ended up buying a kitchen broom and a little "crumb-catcher" for the table. The weaver's shop is really neat, too. Marian Adkins sat at her 175 year old loom, and I watched her weave a placemat from scraps of colorful cloth. She explained the looming process to me, and pointed out the flax and cotton used to make thread.
The furnace itself looked like something out of a spooky fairytale to me. It is the original 1830 iron furnace, and as you walk up the ramp you get a panoramic view as a bonus. There are other buildings and a kitchen garden to explore, also, but I just don’t have the space to share them all. I finally made it to the archeological dig, overseen by volunteers Patty Parkinson and Sandy Fondren. Patty said she volunteers because "it allows me to touch part of history." Sandy, who has been a Furnace Town volunteer for 10 years, simply said, "I just love it." I asked the littlest digger, Tatem Russell, age 5, if she was having fun. Her answer was to hop back into the site, and take up her trowel with a smile. She was there for a "day with daddy". Some of the finds include a domino, buttons, crockery, and spoons.
Furnace Town's director of 19 years, Kathy Fisher, told me that Furnace Town is available for corporate functions, family reunions, group outings, and even weddings in the antique church. There is a large covered Pavilion with picnic tables, and box lunches are available with advance notice. Many workshops, including weaving, basket making, blacksmithing, and painting are offered as well. For more information, call (410) 632-2032. I know that I will be back, because Furnace Town is a slice of living history, nestled in a serene, natural setting. See you next week!