Hamilton & McCoy built the Hecla Furnace in 1833. With a capacity of 10 tons, the furnace operated until 1897. In 1828, Robert Hamilton of Hamilton & McCoy opened the Pine Grove Furnace. It was a Pine Grove that Hamilton made history. Convinced iron was one of God’s creations for the use of man, Hamilton decided to respect God’s commands and close on the Sabbath Day. This practice was not common in 1844 and continued at the Pine Grove Furnace until it closed in 1897 even though Hamilton was no longer it’s proprietor.
