When did logging stop in Michigan?
MICHIGAN FORESTS DURING THE LOGGING ERA From about 1840 to 1900, most of the Michigan forests were cut down for farms and to produce lumber for buildings, ships, and mines. Michigan was the nation’s leading lumber producer between 1869 and 1900. In early days of logging, there were few roads.
When was Michigan deforested?
“For those that don’t know, most of Lower Michigan’s forests were clearcut during the logging era, and that was about 1850 to 1910.” This logging era got underway just as the Erie Canal opened, and just as white settlers gained control of the land of Michigan from its indigenous people.
What Michigan cities were influential in lumber transport?
(The river drive, however, continued to be an important method of log transportation throughout Michigan’s lumbering era.) Lumbering employed many Michigan residents. It made the fortunes of a few men such as Charles Hackley of Muskegon, Louis Sands of Manistee, and Perry Hannah of Traverse City.
Where was the first region of Great lumber production in Michigan?
By 1880, Michigan was producing as much lumber as the next three states combined. The first area where many mills were built was Saginaw. Six rivers converge to form the Saginaw River which empties into Saginaw Bay and then Lake Huron.
Why are there so many dead trees in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?
Invasive pest species along with several other environmental and human factors are contributing to the decline of our forest and urban tree resources in Michigan. Traveling across the state there is evidence of high tree mortality which is raising concern.
Was Michigan covered by trees?
Michigan has about 20 million acres of forest, covering about 53% of the State. This is an increase of over a million acres since 1980. Michigan was once about 95% forested prior to Euro-American settlement. The two main causes of deforestation are agriculture and construction of towns and cities.
Who were the lumber barons in Michigan?
men called the “lumber barons” made huge amounts of money by operating these companies that cut the trees. The trees were transported into sawmills, cut in boards and shipped across the Mid-west, mainly to Chicago. In the late 1870’s loggers began using railroads to transport these logs to speed the process up.
Why is lumbering so important?
Trees provided a renewable resource—unlike oil, coal, or other sources of fuel—as well as useful items such as furniture and building materials. Lumber became the basis for a multidisciplinary and diversified industry that could produce a variety of products.
What resource was mined at Michigan’s Marquette mine in the 1870s?
Iron miners at the Jackson Mine, Michigan, about 1870s Mines in Michigan’s Marquette Range, such as the Jackson Mine, supplied all the iron ore shipped on the Great Lakes until 1877. Workers mined iron by hand until 1884, when steam shovels were adopted.
Are dead trees good for firewood?
Yes, But You Should Consider the Species It’s generally safe to harvest firewood from a fallen tree. However, some trees offer better firewood than others, so you should consider the species of tree that has fallen on your lawn. Generally speaking, hardwood species offer better firewood than softwood species.
What is killing pine trees in Upper Peninsula Michigan?
Sudden wilt and death of pines in Michigan and across the Midwest may have been the result of a disease caused by pinewood nematodes, (Bursaphelenchus xylophilis). This parasitic nematode most commonly attacks non-native pines, such as Scotch and Austrian.
What percent of the Upper Peninsula is forest?
45 percent
The Upper Peninsula accounts for only 29 percent of Michigan’s area but has 45 percent of the forests (Fig.
What is the history of logging in the Upper Peninsula?
Pine logging in the Upper Peninsula began to assume importance in the 1880’s and the virgin stands lasted until about 1920. The peak of Michigan’s great timber harvest was reached in 1889-1890 when mills cut a total of 5.5 billion board feet of lumber, mostly pine. This is 10 times our present annual production of all species.
What happened at a Michigan logging camp in 1907?
Two loggers sit atop a massive eight-foot-wide stump in Falk Woods, in the Upper Peninsula, in 1907. A pair of men in the middle of felling a tree at an undisclosed Michigan lumber camp. An undated photo of men at a Michigan logging camp eating dinner together. An empty lumber camp dining hall, awaiting mealtime.
Was there a sawmill in Hastings Michigan in 1895?
A “portable sawmill” in Hastings, Barry County, Mich. in 1895. A note on the back of the photo reads “Over 1.000.000 [sic] feet of white oak logs cut by the saw mill that year into car oak, cross ties and lumber.”