Charcoal was made by carefully constructing a pile of wood, covering it with sod, igniting it, and then controlling oxidation. This leveled circular area was the site of charcoal production on the Dudley Farm dating back to the early nineteenth century. Charcoal was used in place of coal in blacksmithing and had many other industrial and household uses. People cleaned their teeth with powdered charcoal, purified water, packed meat, stored ice, and made ink, paint, and patent medicines with charcoal.