The Henry Clay Furnace was built around 1836 in what is now Coopers Rock State Forest in Monongalia County. It was the first steam-powered blast furnace in Western Virginia. It was built to produce pig iron for a nearby ironworks. The furnace changed owners quickly. In 1839, the Ellicott brothers, Maryland ironmakers, bought it and connected the furnace to the ironworks with a tram road. The furnace operated until about 1848 when the Ellicott business failed.

The furnace worked by layering charcoal, iron ore, and limestone, which was heated to produce pig iron, which was cast into ingots. The pig iron was used to make items ranging from cut nails to stoves.

A small community of 50 to 75 workers lived near the furnace in simple log buildings. The furnace itself is still standing and is a popular spot for hiking and biking today.