Year Erected: 1956

Marker Text: The Confederacy sought iron and munitions eagerly, which quickly brought prosperity to Etowah. Patriotic key workers, though exempt from army duty, enlisted, and loss of their skill hampered production.

Mark Cooper sold the works in 1862. In 1863, the Confederacy took over the firm seeking to increase production. As Sherman marched by in 1864, mindful of the war value of iron, he sent troops, who, after a brisk skirmish, burned the plant on May 22. This ended an era -- the works were not rebuilt after the War, as cheaper and better production methods had been found.