More Industrial Archaeology

In the area of Western Pennsylvania where I grew up, the logging industry was very important to the local economy, and still is to some extent. Daily, large log trucks would criss-cross the highways of the region travelling from the woods to the sawmills and back again. Before the trucks and large sawmills, logging was still a critical industry, but on a much smaller scale. The sawmills were sometimes set up in a dammed-up creek or run, the water flow used to turn the saw. These could be built much closer to where the trees were being cut.

Even long after they were no longer needed, remains of these old sawmills can be found. Occasionally, though, the first indication that the sawmill once existed is a great swimming hole.

more after the jump






Just above this was a natural narrowing of the creek, an optimal spot for the sawmill to be built. The hole was carved out by the water falling below the dam, making a great spot today for fishing and swimming. Some of the base structure of the sawmill still exists just above the hole.





Further downstream, the creek flows on.