Our Heritage
Discover the rich history and cultural legacy of Pennsylvania’s lumber industry. From historic logging camps to the rise of sustainable forestry practices, explore how the region’s forests shaped communities, industries, and traditions. Explore the stories of early loggers, the evolution of timber technologies, and the enduring connection between Pennsylvania’s forests and its people.
News & Updates
Explore what 'Moon Trees' are, what they represent, and the connection between the Earth's Forests and the night sky. Learn more about this unique heritage and some of the places it continues to grow within the Lumber Heritage Region under some of the darkest skies East of the Mi... Read more
News & Updates
Van Wagner’s 53rd tree climb in Jefferson County highlights the importance of Pennsylvania’s forests, their connection to our heritage, and the role of sustainable management. Hosted by the Lumber Heritage Region, this climb was part of his mission to ascend the tallest tree at t... Read more
Wood On Glass
Two men work together with a crosscut saw, removing a trunk section of a peeled hemlock tree that broke when it fell across another tree already down. A break like this was undesirable, for sawmills could not create boards from the tree unless the damage was removed. Loggers prid... Read more
Wood On Glass
Bark peelers sometimes used bark shacks as a temporary dwelling. They constructed a wood frame and covered it completely with large hemlock bark slabs. By overlapping the slabs, the men had a relatively rainproof place to sleep. Bark peelers were no doubt used to harsh living ... Read more
Wood On Glass
Clarke photographed this group of unidentified children in a series of images made during the winter. Posing them on a “rough and tumble” log pile was dangerous. Logs could shift suddenly and break bones or instantly crush a person. Children no doubt were cautioned not to climb t... Read more
Wood On Glass
Slides were used to move logs to the rail heads wherever practicable in North Central Pa. Water was used to ice the slides in cold weather. Spikes were often placed at critical junctures to slow the speeding logs. Where slides could not be built due to terrain problems, teams of ... Read more
Wood On Glass
Clarke made a group of images of the Norwich Millpond & Sawmill for the Goodyear Lumber Company. This view from that series. The Norwich operation sawed its first log in 1912 and cut its last lumber on August 20, 1921. Operations consisted of long hours six days per week, only pa... Read more
Wood On Glass
The growth of Cross Fork was phenomenal after a large sawmill opened there on May 3, 1894. Four months after the mill converted its first tree into boards, the local newspaper, the Tribune, boasted that Cross Fork had: “2 drug stores, 3 meat markets, 5 grocery stores, 3 millinery... Read more
Wood On Glass
Frank H. Goodyear of the Goodyear Lumber Company is credited with adapting the basic idea of the portable steam shovel, patented by Henry M. Barnhart in 1884, to the logging industry around 1887. The Barnhart loaders operated from rails fastened to the tops of the log cars; allow... Read more
Roots Uncovered
On a crisp May morning in 1901, Annie Myers boarded a timber raft with her husband, Thomas, and their sons, embarking on what would become a historic journey from Lock Haven to Marietta. A story immortalized in The Clinton Republican hailed Annie as the first and only woman to ma... Read more
Roots Uncovered
The lumber industry in Pennsylvania’s forests brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds. While these communities were often isolated, the shared challenges of the work fostered a unique camaraderie and mutual respect among workers. Read more
Roots Uncovered
The lumber industry in Pennsylvania brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds and faiths, creating a unique tapestry of spiritual practices in the remote forests of the Lumber Heritage Region. Read more
Roots Uncovered
Life in Pennsylvania’s lumber camps was rugged and demanding, yet for some, it was also a family affair. Families like Alma and Jake Swanson’s Read more
Roots Uncovered
The turn of the 20th century brought significant changes to Pennsylvania’s lumber industry. Advancements in technology and transportation expanded access to remote forests, while the growing demand for wood fueled the rise of related industries. Read more
Roots Uncovered
The Lumber Heritage Region of Pennsylvania is steeped in history, with stories that intertwine industry, progress, and the fight for justice. Read more
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