During the early 19th century, Americans started to head west in search of new logging land and more importantly, a new life. "Photograph of Logging Scene - NARA - 2129320" by Unknown or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. the raft trip to the mills in Grand Marais. Key U.S. Logging History Facts Logging arrived in America with the early settlers of Jamestown in 1607. In the beginning, timber was cut near the water because it was an easier way to transport it to where it needed to go in the long run. Via Wikimedia Commons -, 5. Many forests were nearly destroyed by heedless practices during those early years. Over the years, logging has become incredibly controversial due to the concern of environmental sustainability and deforestation but it's important to realize that there are as many pros as there are cons when it comes to logging. At the logging site the lines and blocks could extend up to a mile or more from the spar-tree.) The most efficient practice was to cut timber near water, sending logs downstream for processing (i.e. competition from other lumber sources in British Columbia and the American South. During the 1960s and 1970s, forest management plans continually increased the annual allowable cut, and in some forests, managers allowed harvests to exceed the allowable cut. Logging History Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior. Since timber is harvested in remote forested location, the timber industry utilized waterways to transport their heavy product. Typically uneducated, low-skilled migrant workers, the lumberjacks undertook an enormous amount of labor, requiring a diet of around 5,000 calories per day. In some cases makeshift railroads were constructed from the very lumber harvested. 2. Lead to Conversion, Before the formation of the United States of America, the American Colonies were essential to England in the role of supplier of lumber for the mighty British fleet. This resulted in the formation of nicer logging camps where women and children could join their husbands and fathers and live together. History points to the log cabin’s roots beginning in Eastern Europe and specifically in Scandinavia. Far more than an a mere industry, logging is part of our American identity. Meals were discipli… It has not withered away over the centuries, in fact, the lumber industry in the United States is extremely important to our economy; consistently supplying lumber throughout the world. Some of the earliest, true logging railroads date back to the 1860s and 1870s, operating in northeastern states such as New Hampshire and Vermont. A normal copyright tag is still required. With the dawn of the industrial revolution around the same time, the logging industry spiked with the need for New England to regularly ship timber outside North America. The logging industry began in 1607 when the Jamestown settlers cut down lumber to build the first settlement in the new world. But one thing is for sure, they were extremely hard workers, paving a way for future men to earn money and take care of their families as well. We offer firewood delivery to homes and restaurants in New York City, Westchester, NY and Fairfield County, CT. Order your firewood by calling Premier Firewood Company at 203-866-4252 or order online 24/7 for delivery of our, Why You Should Always Use Seasoned Firewood. With the help of FDR and the Homestead Act of 1862, families settled on 160 acre plots. However, with such a high demand, the timber supply began to dwindle at the start of the 20th century. A confluence of events converged in time to drive the logging of the cypress forest: diminishing resources all over the southeast and North Florida, development of the Tamiami Trail, extension of the railroad into the swamps and the advent of World War II, accelerating the need for the sturdiest and The timber harvested each year provides raw materials our nation needs to create the goods and services consumers all over want and need. Log sorters, markers, movers, and chippers sort, mark, and move logs on the basis of their species, size, and ownership. for. ) The most efficient practice was to cut timber near water, sending logs downstream for processing (i.e. Logging has been a part of early American history since the arrival of Europeans in the 1600's. Still, logging in the national forests of Washington and Oregon continued at a rapid pace. Logging cleared land for farms and cities. According to the. for heat and a way of life for woodworkers, builders and more. The discovery of gold in 1848 brought a new demand for wood products. The logging industry was then forced to seek timber elsewhere; hence, the expansion into the American West.