06/25/2026
Did you know the first iron furnace in Sharpsville was built in 1846, starting the town’s reputation as the “iron capital of the world”?
Erected in 1846 and named “Blanche,” the first furnace was built by the firm Vincent, Himrod and Company. The Blanche Furnace produced an average of 1,000 tons of iron a year and employed fifteen people. It was later renamed Sharpsville Furnace.
Under the ownership of the Pierce family, the Sharpsville Furnace was greatly modernized General James Pierce and expanded. For the first time in Mercer County, a distinctive red short iron was successfully manufactured, and it was done so at the Sharpsville Furnace. In 1862, Jonas J. Pierce was made manager and the firm of James Pierce & Sons was formed. In 1870, the furnace was rebuilt. By 1882, the old furnace was demolished and a new one was built with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons of pig iron.
One of our newest books, The Civil War Era in the Shenango Valley, reveals the rich history of the valley, from its founding through the Civil War, touching on hometown heroes, industrial growth, and more: https://sharonhistoricalsociety.com/shop/civil-war-era-in-the-shenango-valley
