Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center
| Kings Gap Environmental Education Center | |
| Pennsylvania State Park | |
 The "mansion" at Kings Gap
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| Country | United States |
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| State | Pennsylvania |
| County | Cumberland |
| Townships | Cooke, Dickinson, Penn |
| Location | |
| - elevation | 801 ft (244 m) |
| - coordinates | 40°05′42″N 77°17′17″W / 40.09500°N 77.28806°WCoordinates: 40°05′42″N 77°17′17″W / 40.09500°N 77.28806°W |
| Area | 1,454 acres (588 ha) |
| Founded | 1973 |
| Management | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| IUCN category | III - Natural Monument |
 Location of Kings Gap Environmental Education Center in Pennsylvania
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| Website: Kings Gap Environmental Education and Training Center | |
Kings Gap Environmental Education Center is a 1,454-acre (588 ha) Pennsylvania state park in Cooke, Dickinson and Penn Townships, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania acquired the land in 1973, from the C. H. Masland and Son Carpet Company. Kings Gap State Park is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) from Pennsylvania Route 233 on South Mountain.
The origin of the name "Kings Gap" is not known, although it is believed to date back to early settlers in this region. The forests of Kings Gap reflect the influence of the charcoaling industry that began in the 1700s and persisted through the late 1800s. Before the discovery of coal, charcoal fueled the iron furnaces located nearby. Some furnaces were as close as Huntsdale, one mile to the southwest of the entrance to Kings Gap. Iron furnaces required tremendous amounts of charcoal as fuel. In 1786, an average furnace consumed in one day the charcoal produced from one acre of forest. The forests of South Mountain were clearcut on a 20 - 25-year cycle to satisfy the unquenchable thirst for charcoal by nine iron furnaces located in the Kings Gap area. A relatively young forest now exists as a result of these repeated cuttings.
The process of making charcoal demanded great skill and vast quantities of trees. During winter months, wood was cut and stacked. When colliers selected a site for the hearth, they stacked the wood into a conical shape by standing the sticks on end around a central chimney. The dangerous job of firing and tending these hearths belonged to the collier and one or two helpers. These men usually managed as many as eight or nine hearths at one time. To keep the fires smoldering, fires were carefully controlled 24 hours a day for ten days to two weeks -the time needed to produce the charred wood or charcoal.
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Wikipedia