The founders of the Oregon Iron Company once thought Lake Oswego would be the “Pittsburgh of the West.” Photo: Kale Williams/Axios
Sitting at the confluence of Oswego Creek and the Willamette River, the Oswego Iron Furnace was the first of its kind built on the West Coast.
Flashback: Constructed in 1866, the 32-foot pyramid was built from basalt taken from a ledge on the north side of what is now Oswego Lake and could withstand temperatures of up to 2,800° Fahrenheit.
Today, the furnace is the centerpiece of the Oswego Iron Heritage Trail and the focal point at Oswego Landing.
