Impact of the Railroads on the Lumber Industry in the Southwestern United States

摘要

The introduction of the mainline (transcontinental) railroads into the southwest in the 1870's and 1880's dramatically changed the lumbering industry in this region. Prior to this introduction, lumbering operations were comparatively small, serving only local construction and mining needs. As the mainline railroads entered the region, they became a main consumer of forest products and a means to export lumber. This presentation briefly discusses the lumbering and railroad history of the period and includes an array of historic photographs illustrating various aspects of these industries.