 The Cowans built their home along Forbes Road near the present day intersection of Aughwick Road and Stumpy Lane.The old-growth forests in and surrounding Cowans Gap State Park were clear cut during the late 18th and early 19th centuries to meet the need for charcoal at nearby Mount Pleasant iron furnace.Colliers harvested the stands of white pine, hemlock, and hardwoods, and made charcoal by stacking timber around large hearths.