The History teacher introduces the site to the
class |
One of the experts gives us some ethnological
background of the charcoal industry workforce |
Yup, it WAS school, and notes WERE taken... |
...at least by many of the students. |
Now, a demonstration of making charcoal from
wood. |
We're doing it in a test tube, although in
real life it was done in large earth-covered charcoal pits in the woods
were the trees were cut |
Heating the wood in the absence of oxygen. |
The smoke coming out is really a complex of
products that, when refined, had a real market value. |
And, the smoke is flammable, too. |
The class views the casting arch of Beckley
Furnace. |
Hearing more about the iron making process |
When the furnace was running, it was 3000
degrees Fahrenheit in that bosh! |
The slag pile was very popular -- and so was
the opportunity to take home samples. |
Inside the one-time office building for the
furnace complex. (Thanks to the students who suggested ways we could
improve it!) |
More discussion after the tour. |
Discussing a salamander with our charcoal
expert. |
