Adirondack Museum - Traditional Logging in the Adirondacks

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	Lumbering was once one of New York State's most important industries; the forests of the Adirondack region have been a source of timber for almost two centuries. Northern hardwoods -- primarily sugar maple, yellow birch and beech - are the most common trees in the Adirondacks. Mingled with these species are red spruce, white pine, white ash, hemlock, black cherry and red maple. Logging began in earnest on the fringes of the Adirondack region before 1813, and by 1850 had made its way into the heart of the wilderness. For years the timber industry flourished in Adirondack towns such as Tupper Lake, Newcomb, Conifer, Lyon Falls, Poland, Watertown, Carthage, Potsdam, Glens Falls, Fulton, Hudson Falls, and many others. Traditional logging was hard physical work with tools little changed from the Middle Ages. Men and animals provided most of the power. Previous Next Table of Contents Home Copyright 2000 The Adirondack Museum. All rights reserved. Click here for details of acceptable use.