1948 Michigan Logging Print

This vintage 1948 postcard features a richly detailed illustration of an 1870 logging scene, capturing a moment in Michigan’s early lumbering history. In the image, loggers work together to load massive white pine logs onto a sled deep within a forest. Two horses pull from the left, while a team of oxen stands to the right. The workers, some standing atop the logs and others guiding from the ground, use traditional methods to manage the timber—a reminder of the physical labor and coordination essential to the industry at the time.

The caption “Loading Logs 1870” and “White Pine” appear prominently, emphasizing the importance of white pine, which was Michigan’s primary lumber resource during the 19th century. Between 1860 and 1910, the state led the nation in lumber production. With its straight grain and workability, white pine was highly prized for construction, and millions of logs were floated down rivers to sawmills throughout the region.

The back of the postcard provides historical context, noting that lumbering began in Michigan in 1886 and that at one time, knotty boards were discarded or burned as firewood. By the time this postcard was printed in 1948, the price of white pine had risen dramatically, from six dollars to $250 per thousand board feet. It also notes that only two small tracts of virgin pine timber remained in the state, a sobering reflection on the vast scale of logging during the previous century.

A striking artifact of industrial and environmental history, this postcard preserves a visual and narrative snapshot of Michigan’s white pine legacy.

This postcard would look great framed, make a wonderful hostess gift, or make an excellent addition to any collection.

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