California Redwoods Logging Crew Real Photo Postcard

The logging of California's colossal redwood forests was a dominant industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, providing timber for the rapidly expanding United States. Photographed by A. W. Ericson, a renowned chronicler of the redwood industry from the 1880s to the 1920s, this scene depicts the arduous process involving numerous lumberjacks, specialized equipment like the steam donkey (evident by the cables and machinery), and essential pack animals such as mules for support in rugged terrain.

This era marked the peak of redwood timber exploitation, characterized by the felling of immense old-growth trees that required significant manpower and innovative machinery to transport. Steam donkeys revolutionized log hauling, replacing oxen teams for many tasks, but manual labor and animal power remained crucial. The intensive logging practices of this period significantly shaped California's economy and landscape, contributing to the development of infrastructure while also initiating early conservation movements.