Hot Creek Charcoal Kilns
Like the earlier kilns built there in 1874, these charcoal kilns were built to supply charcoal to the large smelter at Tybo. After woodcutting cleared the area closest to that town, the Tybo Consolidated Mining Company began seeking bids to construct fifteen new kilns more than a dozen miles away. Henry Allen of Eureka had the winning bid, and immediately began construction. In just five months, fourteen kilns using 600,000 bricks were completed, each with a capacity of 1400 bushels of charcoal every two weeks. The kilns were built in sets of three (with the exception of Fourmile Canyon; see below) so that charcoal production could be alternated: while one kiln was in use, the others could be loaded or unloaded. At Fourmile Canyon, only two kilns were completed, but it is believed that this was to be the site of the fifteenth kiln that was left uncompleted when Allen had to return to work in Eureka. The kilns probably operated until about 1879, when the smelter was closed.
