Making Charcoal

After building a triangular chimney and stuffing it with sticks, the collier stacked logs in concentric circles around the flue. The 12-foot-high stack consisted of 30 to 50 cords—two or three times the logs seen in this replica. The collier filled gaps between the logs with sticks and covered the stack with a layer of dirt and charcoal dust and leaves. He removed the center pole, or fagan, and dropped embers into the chimney to start the fire. As the inner logs turned to charcoal, he periodically "jumped the stack" to find hot spots, which he covered to keep the air out and control the rate of burning. After two weeks, the collier raked the charcoal into small piles so it could cool. Climbing atop the stack to check the fire was one of many hazardous tasks in a dirty and dangerous job.

Thurmont, Maryland · United States