Cooper Furnace

Just after the Rally, and right before we got to Cooper Furnace, we went to West Point Lake in west central Georgia, right on the Alabama border. It’s a Corps park and just another nice place to stay for a while. We met some folks who came in next to us in an RV just like ours and we exchanged ideas. Other than that we just spent a relaxing week parked next to the lake. Except on the weekend we were pretty much by ourselves.

It wasn’t long after we got to Cooper Furnace that I realized I might very well be the second Sines’ to visit here. Although, it would have been under completely different circumstances when great uncle, Peter Robert Sines, may have been here in 1864.

Sergeant Sines, my uncle Peter, was a member of the 15th Ohio Infantry, attached to General Sherman during his famous ‘March to the Sea’ during the Civil War. At that time it was a thriving town called Etowah. Its major industry was the iron furnace where ‘pig iron’ was manufactured. There was a foundry, rolling mill, spike mill, and a ‘fine’ flour mill. The flour mill was once used by the Queen of England. Products from Etowah included pig iron, nails, spikes, rails, tools, and of course cannons. During the Civil War the iron industry was operated by the Confederacy and was a prime military target. Enter Sherman and his troops. At some point in passing the area Sherman dispatched units of his Army to destroy Etowah and its industry. That was accomplished and is why I say, I may be the second Sines’ to visit the area. I haven’t done enough research to be sure but, it makes a good story, and who knows?

After the Civil War Etowah never really recovered. Floods, the building of the dam, and time have taken their toll. All that is left is the furnace. Now in place of Etowah there is Cooper Furnace day use area, and there are we!