Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, California

In 1875 rich deposits of silver lead ore were discovered in the Argus Mountains on the west side of Panamint Valley. Following the strike, the Modoc mining district came into being with the Modock Mining Company controlling the mines over on Lookout Mountain. With the discovery of other mines like the Minnietta, the district became known as the Lookout District.

In order to treat the ores, run the smelters and stamp mills, coal was needed as a hot burning fuel. Since coal does not occur naturally in the area , the charcoal kilns were built up in the Panamint Mountains to convert wood from the pinion pine trees to coal.

The construction of the ten kilns began in 1877. The diameter of the kilns at the base measured around 30 feet, with a average height of 25 feet, and a thickness of the walls at the base of around 2 feet thick thus giving each Kiln a capacity of 42 cords of wood.
By using tree ring dating, it's believed that the kilns were used till around 1879.