From the 1700s to the 1920s, Northwest Connecticut’s young trees were cut and cleared in 30-40 year cycles across entire hillsides, then made into charcoal, the preferred fuel of the state’s brick, iron, and brass foundries. Charcoal burned hotter and cleaner than wood, producing purer metals and less smoke. A small typical iron furnace converting ore to pig iron consumed each day all the charcoal made from one acre of woodland, and producing 1,000 tons of pig iron required at least 150 acres of timber converted to charcoal every year. Connecticut foundries forged cannons and hardware that supported both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.