THE LANDSCAPE AND THE ERA OF LUMBERING IN NORTHEASTERN WISCONSIN

An understanding of the totality of the present landscape of northern Wisconsin requires an investigation of its era of primary exploitation. Wisconsin at one time led the nation in lumber production, and for forty years the industry dominated the commercial and industrial activities of the state. Although a passing phase of history, lumbering left a conspicuous mark on the geography of Wisconsin. The process of exploitation produced elements and patterns that shaped and molded the character of the present landscape. By its nature, the contemporary landscape asks the degree of influence the lumber industry had in its formation. The answer is not an easy one. The vast pine forests and the men who cut them are now scarcely more than memory. Man and nature have considerably altered or obliterated many of the original forms and patterns. While the full impact of lumbering has been obscured in the changing landscape, an examination of the present and its evolution still provides some measure of its impact.