York County, PA
Built: 1848
Coordinates: 40.029100, -76.529824; 40.031211, -76.530682
The Wrightsville Lime Kilns were built in 1848 by the Kerr Family. During the late 1800’s and early 1900’s York County was one of Pennsylvania’s largest producers of lime.
Limestone was heated in the kilns with coal to approximately 2000oF, decomposing the Calcium carbonate to Calcium oxide and Carbon dioxide
The Calcium oxide, or lime, was used for many purposes, including fertilizer, plaster, and whitewash.
Wrightsville was once a center of lime production, with at least five other sets of kilns operating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This set of kilns located at the intersection of current day Front St. and Limekiln Ave. in Wrightsville operated until 1909.
A set of lesser-known kilns is located at 40.031211, -76.530682. Thes kilns are on private property, but you can see them from the road.
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