Coal and Iron and Southern Ohio. The Mineral Resources of the Hocking Valley

Valuable coal deposits across Ohio during the early 1880s.

Ohio was a major source and consumer of coal during America’s Second Industrial Revolution (c. 1870 – 1914). This review of the state’s important mineral resources was authored by T. Sterry Hunt, who first spent time in the Hocking Valley region southeast of Columbus in 1874.

“Since that time, despite the financial depression of 1874-78, considerable activity has prevailed in the Hocking Valley, which has attracted a large amount of capital. New railroads, opening up the region, have been built, and new coal-mines opened, while the shipments of coal therefrom have been much more than doubled, and promise great increase for 1881.

Moreover, a new industry, that of smelting the native iron-ores with the raw coal of the region, has been established and within the period named thirteen blast furnaces have been erected and put in successful operation, besides which, two more of the largest size are now in process of construction.” – Preface.

The volume explains in detail the promising local iron and coal resources available to potential investors and entrepreneurs. Related industries like blast furnaces, smelting, and railroads are also covered extensively. It includes a fold-out (now disbound) titled Map of the Hocking Valley Gold Field (14.25″ x 22″) that shows railroad lines, villages, land divisions, and blast furnaces.

Published in Boston by S.E. Cassino in 1881. Printed by Wright & Potter Printing Company.

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