Great White Pine Forests

Location: Area wide
Date: Clear-cutting from 1837-1880

Pine Forest Beyond Town

The Saugatuck area is part of the southern edge of virgin White Pine forests that extended southward from northern Michigan. Many of these trees were of enormous size and were of great value as construction lumber–hence huge profits for the Michigan “lumber barons.” This short-lived industry also meant many jobs for lumber camp workers, lumber mill hands, and sailors. The Great Chicago Fire and accompanying fires in Michigan at the same time meant an unprecedented increases in demand for construction lumber for rebuilding purposes—and hence sped up the clear-cutting of the forests. By the early 1880s most all the good pine trees were gone.