Technical and Cultural Perspectives of Charcoal Burning in Nineteenth Century Wisconsin, USA

Abstract

Iron production in the United States was fueled entirely by charcoal until the mid-nineteenth century when coal and coke began to dominate as the preferred fuel. Even so, charcoal iron production increased in absolute terms until 1890 and continued until 1945. The early iron industry could not have existed without the secondary charcoal burning (production) industry. Charcoal burning was an important industry in regions with iron production, provided a market for wood after the clearing of land for agricultural production, and contributed to forest depletion near charcoal iron furnaces. We describe technical and cultural aspect of the charcoal burning industry in Wisconsin, part of a region with significant charcoal iron production. Charcoal was produced in pits and kilns. Our discussion centers on pit production of charcoal. Production methodology via pits is discussed in detail, illustrating production techniques common to both charcoal pits and kilns. Charcoal burning’s contribution to forest depletion is part of that discussion.