Image:Limestone Kiln 1856 1-med.jpg
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Subject: Remains of a limekiln built in 1856 west of St. Louis, Missouri.
Caption: This kiln was built in 1856 to process limestone quarried on site, converting it to lime for cement. It is built of limestone and lined with firebrick. Wood was fed into a fire through low arches on the side where the wall is now partially collapsed (and partly hidden by a tree in this picture). Limestone was dumped into the top, and the powdered lime was shovelled out to cool through the arch seen on the front. This kiln was built at the base of a steep hillside so that the limestone could more easily be brought to the top of the tower.
Burning one cord of wood could produce 30 to 50 pounds of lime. Up to seven cords of wood might be burned in a day. The fire was kept going continuously unless the kiln needed repair or maintenance. Several similar kilns were built nearby, but this is the only one remaining. Satisfying these kilns' hunger for wood fuel caused the surrounding countryside to be nearly completely clearcut of timber. The heavy woods currently blanketing the area are all second-growth forest.
Source: This image was taken on July 31, 2004, specifically for use on Wikipedia by Kbh3rd, and it is hereby released into the public domain.
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