Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/01/2005
NRHP Listing Date 07/27/2005
NRHP Reference Number 05000762
Located just north of Luray, the Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District bounds approximately nine acres in Page County, on the west bank of Hawksbill Creek, a tributary of the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. The steeply-to-gently sloping site consists of pasture, woodlots, and the oblong pool of Yager Spring, the power source for the furnace and later mills. Derrick Pennybacker is believed to have established the Redwell Furnace in 1787, making it the county’s oldest iron furnace. Later known as Isabella Furnace, it operated until the 1840s; subsequently, a forge, flourmill, and woolen factory operated at the location into the late 19th century. The district includes a cemetery (now devoid of markers), a stone foundation, the furnace bridge mound, and two circa 1800 buildings—the Isabella Furnace Office, a two-story stone building with Georgian interior detail, and the Yager Spring House. The property also contains a two-story stone structure, with a large fireplace for cooking and a later 1965 stone-and-frame addition. The town of Luray owns the Redwell-Isabella Furnace Historic District property and at the time of listing in the registers it was exploring options for its rehabilitation.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: April 12, 2022
