Near Thurmont in Frederick County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Wood—the Essential Ingredient

Catoctin Mountain Park

— National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior —

Wood—the Essential Ingredient Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 5, 2018

1. Wood—the Essential Ingredient Marker

Inscription. Forests are constantly changing, and in this woodland humans once played a major role in the process. The figures were staggering. During the Catoctin Iron Furnace's peak years from 1859 to 1885, more than 300 woodcutters cleared chestnuts, oaks, hickories, and other hardwoods from the company's 11,000 acres and from private lands like these.

In late winter and early spring, colliers burned about 11,500 cords of wood to make the 18,000 bushels of charcoal needed to produce the furnace's yearly output of 1,000 tons of pig iron. This forest looks today much as it did when crews returned with axes and saws to cut a new supply of wood for the collier.

[Image captions:]
Every 25 to 30 years, cutters cleared all but a few of the fast-growing chestnuts and other hardwoods up to 10 inches in diameter.

One cord of wood (4 ft x 4 ft x 8 ft) produced 16 bushels of charcoal.

Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1859.

Location. 39° 38.757′ N, 77° 26.585′ W. Marker

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is near Thurmont, Maryland, in Frederick County. It can be reached from Park Central Road north of Foxville Road (Maryland Route 77), on the right when traveling north. On the grounds of Catoctin Mountain Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14707 Park Central Road, Thurmont MD 21788, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area

and in Central Maryland.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Collier's Hut (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Signs of the Past (about 400 feet away); Fueling the Furnace (about 400 feet away); Making Charcoal (about 500 feet away); Wood Hauler's Sled (about 500 feet away); Preparing the Hearth (approx. 0.2 miles away); Making Whiskey (approx. half a mile away); Blue Blazes Still (approx.

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 5, 2018

2. Wood—the Essential Ingredient Marker

0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Thurmont.

Credits. This page was last revised on March 19, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 5, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 235 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 5, 2018, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.