Ferrière-la-Grande
Ferrière-la-Grande (French pronunciation: [fɛʁjɛʁ la ɡʁɑ̃d]) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. The river Solre flows through the commune.
Ferrière-la-Grande | |
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Global view | |
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Coat of arms | |
Location of Ferrière-la-Grande | |
Ferrière-la-Grande Ferrière-la-Grande | |
| Coordinates: 50°15′20″N 3°59′36″E | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Avesnes-sur-Helpe |
| Canton | Maubeuge |
| Intercommunality | CA Maubeuge Val de Sambre |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2020–2026) | Benoît Courtin |
| Area 1 | 10.01 km2 (3.86 sq mi) |
| Population (2021) | 5,202 |
| • Density | 520/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59230 /59680 |
| Elevation | 127–184 m (417–604 ft) (avg. 149 m or 489 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
In 1828 Pierre François Dumont applied for a concession to operate iron mines in the canton of Maubeuge, and for authorization to establish two iron furnaces at Ferrière-la-Grande powered by steam. Dumont founded the factories at Ferrière-la-grande in 1830, the first coke-fired blast furnaces in the north of France to produce and mould pig-iron from the local minerals. By decree of 23 April 1859 Dumont was granted a concession to build a railway line to link the factories Ferrière-la-Grande to the Saint-Quentin line at Erquelinnes. The line was built on land acquired by Dumont or expropriated on the grounds of public utility.