Board of Directors
Officers:
- Jeff Bacon, President
- Molly Hilligoss, Vice President
- Lee Chisholm, Treasurer
Other Board Members:
- Ann Gibb
- Carol Dorman
- Doug Glascox
- Gary Marine
- Jan King
- Jenny Hall
- Joe Fehrer
- John Aukward
- Josh Fradel
- Kenneth Thom
- Larry Knudsen
- Ron Geesey
- Valerie Trader
- Vonnie Brown
Site Manager
Karen TaylorInformation
Furnace Town Living Heritage Museum is a project of Furnace Town Foundation, Inc., a not-for-profit 501-c3 corporation. Furnace Town Foundation began in 1982 after an effort by concerned local citizens to ensure to continuance of the historic preservation of the Nassawango Iron Furnace.
Preservation efforts began in the 1960s to save the crumbling Furnace. At the spearhead of this effort was Jack Graham, a local architect and historian. He, along with many others, got the Worcester County Historical Society to recognize the importance of saving this early American industrial structure. By the late 1970s, it was decided to open the site for tours and create a museum. The first structure moved to site was an old Episcapalian Church from Pocomoke City, MD. The building was remaned the Frank R. Jones Museum after the man who sponsored the move and helped create the museum. During the 1980s more buildings were moved to the site to recreate the village that originally stood here in the 1840s. By the early 1990s plans were made to build a new Visitor's Center to accomodate the growing number of visitors and events. Attention was then turned once again to the furnace and a new charging ramp was completed in the late 1990s to the top of the furnace allowing people to gain a better sense of what the furnace looked like before it was abandoned. The 2000s have brought even more improvements and expansions including a pavilion for picnicking and events. Furnace Town is ever growing and looks forward to a bright future.
Funds for restoration and interpretaion of the 19th centure village are realized from grants, donations, admissions, and Foundation memberships.
Honorary Mayor of Furnace Town
Jack Graham was named the Honorary Mayor of Furnace Town because of his efforts to save and preserve the Nassawango Iron Furnace. In 1991, he helped the furnace to be named as a National Historical Mechanical Engineering Landmark. Jack has collected information and historical records pertaining to the history of the furnace. His perserverance and contributions have proved invaluable to Furnace Town Foundation.