The history of logging on Cheat Mountain near Durbin, West Virginia, dates back to the late 19th century. The area was once covered in dense forests of red spruce, hemlock, and hardwoods. These trees were in high demand for lumber and paper products, and logging companies quickly moved in to exploit the resource.
One of the first logging companies to operate on Cheat Mountain was the West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company. In the late 1890s, the company built a sawmill in Cass and began logging the surrounding area. The company used a variety of methods to transport the logs to the sawmill, including horse-drawn log wagons, tramways, and railroads.
In 1900, the Greenbrier Railway completed a line to Cass, which made it easier to transport logs to the sawmill and lumber to market. The railway also opened up new areas of Cheat Mountain to logging.
Over the next few decades, logging on Cheat Mountain reached its peak. Dozens of logging camps were established throughout the area, and thousands of workers were employed in the industry. Logging had a major impact on the local economy, and many towns in the region, such as Durbin, were largely dependent on the industry.
However, logging also had a significant impact on the environment. Large swaths of forest were clear-cut, and streams and rivers were polluted with logging waste. In addition, many logging workers were injured or killed on the job.
In the mid-20th century, logging on Cheat Mountain began to decline. The depletion of the timber supply, the rise of environmental concerns, and the introduction of new technologies all contributed to the decline of the industry.
Today, logging on Cheat Mountain is a small fraction of what it was once. However, the legacy of logging can still be seen in the area's forests and landscape. Many of the old logging railroads have been converted to hiking and biking trails, and many of the logging camps have become ghost towns.
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