In 1896, Joseph Lodge started the Blacklock Foundry. The company focused on manufacturing a wide range of cast iron products, including cast iron cookware.

Blacklock experienced success until May 1910 when a fire sparked and destroyed the foundry. But Joseph Lodge and his family didn’t give up. Just three months after the fire, the company was reborn down the road as the company we know today: Lodge Cast Iron.

During the hard times of the 1930s, the Lodge family found ways to keep doors open. Novelty items, such as cast iron garden gnomes and animals were produced and sold to keep workers employed

As the economy bounced back, Lodge responded to growing business demand, and began converting its foundry from a hand-pour operation to an automated molding process. In 1963, Dick Kellerman led discussions about the purchase of a Danish molding machine called a Disamatic. Lodge purchased the second U.S. Disamatic in 1964 and became the first American Company to use the Disamatic on U.S. soil in 1965. This led to safer and more efficient manufacturing that, at the time, was very rare.

During tough economic times in the 1970s, William Leslie Kellermann, Joseph Lodge's grandson, drafted a plan to reconstruct the foundry. This multi-year project enabled Lodge to bring employees back to full, 5-day workweeks.

Created in 1973, the simple black skillet frying a single egg was destined to become an iconic symbol of American-made cast iron cookware. The official brand logo has been updated over the years, but the same skillet icon is still in use today.

Continuing a dedication to technology and conservation, Lodge once again updated its foundry in 1994. The replacement of the coal-fire cupola furnaces with an electro-magnetic induction melting system earned a Tennessee Governor's Award for Excellence in Hazardous Waste Reduction.

Well into our second century of business, Lodge continued to innovate. Our President and CEO, Bob Kellermann, led the initiative to season each piece of cast iron cookware in the foundry. In 2002, the process was finalized, and Lodge debuted seasoned cast iron. It was an industry first that has since become the industry standard.

As Lodge continued to develop the core line of seasoned cast iron, we began to introduce complementary lines of cookware, such as our diverse and colorful line of porcelain enameled cast iron in 2005. This line has earned rave reviews from media and consumers since its inception, offering the performance of European brands at a much more affordable value.

Introduced in 2013, the Lodge Seasoned Carbon Steel line features an assortment of skillets that are American-made and seasoned at the Lodge foundry. Appealing to both professional chefs and outdoorsmen, these tough pans are the perfect tool for culinary aspirations.

Toward the end of 2017, operations began in a newly built, 127,000 square foot foundry, nicknamed 3rd Street Foundry. This foundry increased Lodge's manufacturing capacity by 75%.

Over 120 years after Joseph Lodge made his home here in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, Lodge Cast Iron continues to share his legacy with the world — one skillet at a time.