Another fun and historical spot to visit is the Ward Charcoal Ovens. They were built by Italian Stone Masons, called Carbonari, in 1872. They were used for baking wood into charcoal. The charcoal was used for melting the silver out of the rock. They are each 32 feet in diameter, and hold 32 cords of wood. Each cord of wood produces 180 bushels of charcoal per firing. There are 5 ovens.
Click on the image to enlarge it. You will be able to read the sign and find out how they made the charcoal from the wood. It sounds like an interesting process, and a great deal of work in the late 1800s.
They are no longer used to make the charcoal. They are missing the doors now but are very cool inside on a hot summer day. There is a picnic area close with a trail that leads to the ovens. Pack a lunch or pick up some great buffalo burgers from the nearby Willow Creek Trading Post and General Store, and enjoy the day seeing the ovens and taking the trails around the area. It is a beautiful place for you and your family to spend the day.