Old Lime Kiln

Making lime cost this man his sight. Jens Larsen Jensen, a Swedish immigrant, had John Kyhl build him this kiln north of Richfield in the late 1880s — one of seven in the hills here, and the best preserved of them. Limestone quarried nearby was burned in the kiln for days on end and cooled into fine white powder, the lime that went into the mortar and plaster of the settlers' homes and churches. Jensen worked it until about 1905, when the fierce, unrelenting heat of the fires finally took his eyesight, and he went blind.

What the plaque says

This old lime kiln is the best preserved of seven kilns constructed north of Richfield during the late 1880′s. It was built by John Kyhl for Jens Larsen Jenson, a Swedish immigrant. The lime was used in the construction of homes, churches and schools of the early settlers. Limestone was quarried in the nearby hills, melted down in the kilns and cooled – a process that took several days. The result was a fine, white lime powder suitable for brick making, mortar and plaster. Use of this kiln ended around 1905 when Mr. Jensen went blind from exposure to the extreme heat.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Big Rock Candy Mountain — 16 mi
  The real mountain that inspired the famous hobo folk song
• Fremont Indian State Park — 20 mi
  The largest known Fremont Indian village ever discovered
• Fishlake National Forest — 26 mi
  Home to Pando — the largest living organism on Earth
• Mayfield — 30 mi
  Gateway to Twelve Mile Canyon and the Skyline Drive high country

More markers nearby

• Richfield Pioneers — 1.5 mi
• Richfield Carnegie Library — 1.7 mi
• Elsinore Pioneers — 8.1 mi
• Fort Alma — 11 mi