Summer volunteers needed to help at Buckeye Furnace

Volunteers are needed to help work this summer at Buckeye Furnace.

The furnace, located outside Wellston, Ohio, is one of only a few reconstructed charcoal iron furnace operations in the United States.

The volunteers will help in the Buckeye Furnace general store by greeting visitors and assisting with the gift shop sales. People are needed for shifts from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from June through October.

"Anyone who wants to help is welcome," said Mike Stroth, president of the Friends of Buckeye Furnace, in a news release. The Friends of Buckeye Furnace is the organization that manages the site. The Friends group is a sister organization to the Jackson Historical Society.

In addition to the self-guided tours and nature trails, there are several special events planned this year. The Buckeye Furnace park opens on Memorial Day weekend.

To volunteer, call Stroth at 740-286-4371 after 6 p.m. or Carl Sears at 740-286-2758.

For more information about Buckeye Furnace, visit the new Web site: www.BuckeyeFurnance.com.

In addition to its home page, the Web site covers a variety of other subjects including: Visiting the Furnace, Current Events, the History of the Furnace Community, Importance of the Charcoal Iron Industry in Our Region, the Buckeye Furnace Cemetery, a map of how to get to the site, About the Gift Shoppe and links to other sites associated with the charcoal industry.

"It is loaded with photos and other materials that make the new site very interesting," said Stroth.