Oscoda in Iosco County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Moving the Load
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, October 27, 2021
1. Moving the Load Marker
Inscription.
Moving the Load. . Sawyers, swampers, and skidders. Many men were needed to move the pine from forest to rivers. Starting every winter, timber cruisers searched for the best stands of white pine, which sawyers cut down and swampers trimmed. The sleds, pulled by horses or oxen, hauled logs to the nearest riverbank over paths kept slick with ice. During the drive downstream, loggers faced rustlers and log jams. When logs reached the sawmills, they were cut into boards for building houses and factories. By the 1870's big wheel carts and narrow gauge railroads allowed loggers to cut, transport, and mill logs all year round.
Sawyers, swampers, and skidders. Many men were
needed to move the pine from forest to rivers.
Starting every winter, timber cruisers searched
for the best stands of white pine, which sawyers
cut down and swampers trimmed. The sleds, pulled
by horses or oxen, hauled logs to the nearest riverbank
over paths kept slick with ice. During the drive
downstream, loggers faced rustlers and log jams.
When logs reached the sawmills, they were cut into
boards for building houses and factories. By the
1870's big wheel carts and narrow gauge railroads
allowed loggers to cut, transport, and mill logs all
year round.
Location. 44° 26.096′ N, 83° 37.42′ W. Marker is in Oscoda, Michigan, in Iosco County. Marker can be reached from Monument Road, 0.2 miles north of West River Road. Marker is located near the Lumberman's Monument Visitor Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5401 Monument Road, Oscoda MI 48750, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 21, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 62 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on February 21, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. 2, 3. submitted on February 22, 2023, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
