Williamsport: the Epicenter of the Timber Boom By: Jodie Seyler and Nicole Tressler
Published on Nov 22, 2015
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Williamsport: the Epicenter of the Timber Boom
By:
Jodie Seyler and Nicole Tressler
Photo by mytoenailcameoff
West Branch of the Susquehanna River flowed threw pine and hemlock forests.
White pines most valuable.
Worth there weight in gold.
Worth there weight in gold.
Photo by L Hollis Photography
After opening the west branch canal, (1834) Williamsport was linked to the rest of Pennsylvania.
In the early 19th century the only way to get trees out was to float them down the Sinnemahoning, and the Loyalsock, the Clearfield and other tributaries to sawmills on the Susquehanna River.
The west branch canal helped to connect Williamsport to the rest of Pennsylvania. A group of Philadelphia investors opened the first sawmill in Williamsport.
Began the great timber boom of 1838
The west branch canal helped to connect Williamsport to the rest of Pennsylvania. A group of Philadelphia investors opened the first sawmill in Williamsport.
Began the great timber boom of 1838
Photo by grongar
The logs were branded and then sorted, once they reached the sawmill town.
When the snow melted the river flowed faster.
The log drives floated their logs down the river.
The log drives floated their logs down the river.
Photo by Paul_Blakeman
Major Perkins and John Leighton created a holding pen for the logs called the Susquehanna Boom in 1851.
Logs regularly broke loose and floated down the river
At its peak, the Boom's 6 miles of walls could hold close to a million logs in a 450-acre enclosure.
At its peak, the Boom's 6 miles of walls could hold close to a million logs in a 450-acre enclosure.
Williamsport became the lumber capital of the world.
after the civil war more lumber was needed then ever before.
by late 1870 all the pine was mainly gone
by late 1870 all the pine was mainly gone
Photo by Etrusia UK
Williamsport manufacturers made furniture, toys, packing boxes and whole houses.
Entrepreneurs of Williamsport became rich
Williamsport had the most millionaires per capita in the United States
Williamsport had the most millionaires per capita in the United States
A great flood broke the Boom and washed around 2 million board feet of lumber down the river
water era of sawmilling was over
Most of the trees in Pennsylvania were gone
timber boom moved to Minnesota, Wisconsin and other western states.
