It was established by the Virginia Company of London in Henrico Cittie (sic) on Falling Creek near its confluence with the James River.

It is now located in Chesterfield County, about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of the fall line of the James River at present-day Richmond, Virginia.

On the west bank of this section, the Piedmont terrain contained the ore deposits needed to make iron, but was still adjacent to the navigable portion of the James River through the Tidewater Region.

After 1612, non-native strains of tobacco were used as a cash crop, and plantations and other outposts from Jamestown spread downstream and up the James River toward the head of navigation (fall line) at present-day Richmond.

On March 22, 1622, the Powhatan Confederacy of Native Americans tribes under the leadership of Chief Opechancanough conducted a series of coordinated surprise attacks on almost all the English settlements along the James River.

According to an article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper on January 20, 2007, the heavy rains in the late summer of 2006 apparently eroded the creek bank and uncovered timbers of the furnace which were part of the structure.

In addition a number of other features were identified (probably buildings related to either the Falling Creek Ironworks or Archibald Cary's 1750-81 Forge).