Kilns

Kilns. and How They Were Built. These are three of the four charcoal kilns that remain of the original sixteen that were once located here. These beehive shaped kilns were constructed of brick and designed to stand 20 feet in both height and diameter. The walls were plastered inside and out, making them a foot or more thick. The structures were bound with heavy steel cables and set on thick stone and brick foundations which were built on a shelf cut into the slope of the draw. Each kiln was built with two doors through which wood was loaded. , None of the remaining four kilns are in their original condition. Bricks have been pried away, leaving the walls thinner and some of the top openings have caved in. , There were also many open pit kilns in this area. Open pit kilns were simply large pits. The pits were filled with wood. After the wood was set on fire, it was covered with dirt. The dirt covering served the same purpose as the brick kiln. If the dirt caved in and the burning wood was not quickly recovered, the entire 40 to 50 cords would burn up.