By Linda Tancs
In the 1870s six kilns were constructed in the Ward Mining District of eastern Nevada to process rich silver ore that was discovered in the area. They were designed in the shape of beehives to efficiently burn pinyon pine and juniper into charcoal to support mining production. Now, this isn’t your typical beehive. These structures are 30-foot-tall, 27-foot-wide otherworldly ovens that could hold 35 cords of wood at a time and produce 1,750 bushels of charcoal. Once mining ended, they were used as a shelter for travelers and even as hideouts for stagecoach bandits. Today they’re a photogenic attraction at Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park just south of Ely.
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