Woodrock Sawmill Interpretive Site

Woodrock Sawmill Interpretive Site is one of many interpretive sites on the forest. Woodrock Sawmill – 1905 Three logging firms: Starbird & Hall, J.H. McShane, and the Big Horn Timber Company supplies ties and bridge timber for the Burlington Railroad from 1894 to 1909.  They built at least five major sawmills in the mountains with additional camps for their loggers and tiehackers.  In addition to railroad contracts they supplies props and timbers for the mines of the first Sheridan Coal Boom. Here we see tiehackers stripping logs for railroad ties.  These men received from 3 to 5 cents per finished tie, averaging around $2.50 to $3.00 per day.  In their time, only coal miners and skilled construction men earned better wages.  After 1900, increasing quantities of these ties were machine cut, for the mills could turn out superior ties for only 3/8th of the cent each.