Saturday, May 30
From the Creek to the Canopy: A Legacy of Fire
Two hundred years ago, the lifeblood of Furnace Town was the iron pulled from the depths of the Nassawango Creek. Laborers harvested bog iron from the creek, but to transform that raw ore into iron, they needed the intense, controlled heat of the iron furnace. This process made the furnace the center of the community, turning the natural resources of the Pocomoke into the tools and products of a growing nation.
Today, we are once again using controlled fire as a vital tool for our community—but this time, the goal is conservation rather than industry. We are proud to serve as the host site for a unique educational demonstration led by the Maryland DNR and Tall Timbers. On Saturday, May 30, these experts will be conducting a prescribed burn in the adjacent Pocomoke State Forest. Just as the village here once carefully managed fire to power an industry, today’s conservationists use it as a scientific tool to protect wildlife habitats and ensure the health of the very ecosystem that once sustained our historic village.
This event offers a rare opportunity to watch modern fire ecology in action from the safety of our historic grounds. You’ll learn the science behind prescribed fire and see how it is used to sustain habitat.
We are still planning the details and logistics of this event! Mark your calendars and we will send out more information soon. Please also follow us on Facebook for updates.