South Mountain Iron Company
| Industry | Iron mining and railway |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Jay Cooke & Company |
| Founded | 1864 |
| Fate | Divided into mining and railway companies in 1877; mining operations sold to Pennsylvania Department of Forestry in 1912-13 |
| Successor | South Mountain Railway and Mining Company (railway division), South Mountain Mining and Iron Company (mining division) |
| Headquarters | Cumberland County , United States |
Area served | Pennsylvania, United States |
The South Mountain Iron Company acquired the Pine Grove Furnace, situated along South Mountain in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in 1864 for $1,500,000 (~$ in ). This purchase was made from Jay Cooke & Company, which had previously obtained the property in 1863 for $225,000. In 1877, the company divided into distinct mining and railway divisions. The South Mountain Railway and Mining Company established the South Mountain Railroad in 1884, creating a rail link from Pine Grove Iron Works to the Cumberland Valley Railroad at Carlisle Junction. Later, this railroad was taken over by the Gettysburg and Harrisburg Railway in 1891. Meanwhile, the mining operations under the 1877 South Mountain Mining and Iron Company were sold during 1912-13 to the Pennsylvania Department of Forestry. These lands now form part of Pine Grove Furnace State Park and Michaux State Forest.