Lewisburg

Lewisburg
Lewisburg was a village which was later swallowed up by the expansion of Fort Drum, and was once named Sterlingbush for a short time (other alternate names - Louisburgh and Sterling Bush).

During the 1800's there was an iron ore mine in Lewisburg, with a shaft that was approximately 150 feet deep. Purple Amethyst was taken from that shaft and forwarded to the Natural History Museum in Albany, NY.

[Many more photos of the iron furnace here

A large iron furnace was also built there in 1831 and remains of it are still standing. The furnace was rebuilt many times, and was later owned by James Sterling (for a short time Lewisburg's name was changed to Sterlingbush). But the furnace soon became outdated when iron furnaces in other parts of the country began using more efficient coal, which wasn't as readily available here. By 1881 a new owner, the Jefferson County Iron Company, had phased out the furnace in favor of mining operations. And in 1941 Lewisburg was absorbed by the expansion of Fort Drum. (For more photos, how this iron furnace worked an illustration of the process |click here] - external site).

A nearby cemetery is still visited on Memorial Day when Fort Drum is open to cemetery-goers.

A National Guard Lieutenant Colonel [note - need to find name] who trained at Camp Drum, was obtaining his PhD and authored the book "Rock and Paleontology of Pine Camp". He continued to document other data relating to the Ancient Glacial Lake Iroquois.

Fort Drum

Lost Villages

[Many more photos of the iron furnace here