Arks were temporary boats used for river transport

 Arks were temporary boats used for river transport in eastern North America before slack-water canals and railroads made them obsolete

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. They were built for just one trip down the river and then dismantled and sold for their lumber

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. Arks were used to transport white pine logs from Pocahontas County to Greenbrier County along the Greenbrier River in West Virginia

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. The arks within the Greenbrier River in West Virginia averaged sixty feet, except for the larger cooking arks used to feed loggers four times a day

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. The spring floods brought miles of white pine logs from Pocahontas County to Greenbrier County, and photographs of these massive vessels were posted along the Greenbrier River Trail at the town

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. The Greenbrier River Trail is a lineal state park comprising a 77.1-mile rail trail between North Caldwell and Cass in eastern West Virginia

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. The GRT route and its contours were originally engineered by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, serving as a passenger and freight line before becoming unviable after the Great Depression

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. The right of way was gifted to the State of West Virginia in the late 1970s and the former railbed reopened in 1980 as a recreational multi-use trail

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. As it follows the Greenbrier River, the trail provides many breathtaking views as it passes through several small towns, crosses 35 bridges, goes through two tunnels, and cuts through some of West Virginia's most remote areas

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Arks were temporary boats used for river transport in eastern North America before slack-water canals and railroads made them obsolete

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. They were built for just one trip down the river and then dismantled and sold for their lumber

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. Here are some details on how arks were constructed and operated: Construction:

• Arks were built of spruce
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• They were typically 70 to 100 feet long
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• The construction of arks was a community event
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Operation:

• Arks were used to transport logs down the river
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• They were propelled by poles or oars
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• Arks were steered using a rudder or sweep
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• Cooking arks were used to feed loggers four times a day
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It is worth noting that arks were not designed for long-term use, and they were not very maneuverable. However, they were an important means of transportation for the logging industry in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.