Charcoal Making - Piedmont, Wyoming
Posted by: 
Tom.dog
N 41° 13.189 W 110° 37.189
12T E 531867 N 4563229
This sign describes the process of making charcoal, which was done in the nearby kilns between 1869 and the early 1900s.
Waymark Code: WM18P15
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 09/02/2023
Views: 0
The text on the sign reads:
Charcoal Making
Charcoal, which resembles coal, is a brittle, lightweight, black porous substance that is 85% to 98% carbon. It is produced by slowly heating wood in a kiln. This process, called pyrolysis, removes the water and volatile compounds from the organic material without burning it. For centuries, charcoal was favored as a fuel source because it burns hotter, cleaner, and more slowly than wood.
Uses
Much of the charcoal made at Piedmont was sent by railroad to mining ore smelters in Utah's Salt Lake Valley. Charcoal, which burns at more than 2,000° F, is used in smelting - a process of extracting metal, such as lead or copper, from its ore. Charcoal was also shipped to Fort Bridger as fuel for the blacksmith forges.
Process
Workers filled the kilns with about 30 cords of pine logs, harvested in the nearby mountains. The logs were packed tight and double-stacked, end-to-end. The wood was lit, but not allowed to fully burn, just smolder. Charcoal makers controlled the heat by plugging small air vent holes around the base of the kiln. It took six to eight days of slow firing to reduce the wood to charcoal. Cooling took another five days. On average, 100 parts of wood yielded about 25 parts of charcoal, by weight.
Marker Name: Charcoal Making
Marker Type: Rural Roadside
Addtional Information:
This is one of four signs located at the Piedmont Kilns that describe the history of the kilns and the surrounding ghost town of Piedmont. All four of the signs, along with several nearby markers and monuments, can be found listed on the Wyoming State Parks' map of markers and monuments here: https://wysphst.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=70c906c090a0466da9781e2a88ac72b6
Group Responsible for Placement: Wyoming State Parks & Cultural Resources
Date Dedicated: Not Listed
Marker Number: Not Listed
Web link(s) for additional information: [Web Link]
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