1: Minnesota Lumber Industry: The Impact of Population Growth and Technology

2: Guide Creation Information

Guide Author

Mary Johnson

District

Sauk Rapids-Rice District ISD #47, retired

Date Created

05/23/2011

Guide Description

This guide is designed to help students understand the relationship between natural resources, technology, and population growth. Logging and the lumber industry expanded due to increased demand from population growth. Changes in technology enabled the industry to become more efficient, to meet the growing and diversified demand, and to contribute to a growing consumer society.

3: Guide Characteristics

Title of Main Academic Standard used in Guide

Minnesota Draft K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies April 29, 2011

Grade Level

10-11

Learning Level

Reinforced

National Holiday/Special Occasion (optional)

Source Format Emphasized

Photographs, books, maps

Geographic Region Emphasized (optional)

Other Minnesota Reflections Guide(s) Related to this Guide (optional

FACS: Housing and Interior Design by Mary Johnson

This guide provides a variety of housing designs which correlate to the availability of lumber and advanced building techniques.

4: Standard Emphasized in Guide

Standard Title

Minnesota Draft K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies April 29, 2011

Category

Social Studies

Strand

U. S. History

Sub-strand

The Development of an Industrial, Urban, and Global United States, 1870-1920

Standard

The U. S. experienced a process of industrialization and urbanization after 1870.

Benchmark 1: standard number

9.1.8.2.1

Benchmark 1: text

Analyze how production, consumption, and distribution of goods changed the nature of work and created a consumer society.

Benchmark 2: standard number

9.1.8.2.2

Benchmark 2: text

Describe how industrialization led to changes in settlement patterns and changed the nature of work, including the establishment of labor unions.

Benchmark 3: standard number

Benchmark 3: text

Benchmark 4: standard number

Benchmark 4: text

5: Another Standard Emphasized in Guide (optional)

Standard Title

Minnesota Draft K-12 Academic Standards in Social Studies April 29, 2011

Category

Social Studies

Strand

Economics

Sub-strand

Fundamental Concepts

Standard

The fundamental problem of resource scarcity and how different economic systems address questions about allocation, production, and distribution.

Benchmark 1: standard number

9.4.1.3.1

Benchmark 1: text

Explain how productive resources and technology limit the production of goods and services.

For example: productive resources-human, capital, natural, and entrepreneurial; production possibilities curve and shifts of the curve; effects of technological change.

Benchmark 2: standard number

Benchmark 2: text

Benchmark 3: standard number

Benchmark 3: text

Benchmark 4: standard number

Benchmark 4: text

6: Additional Standards and/or Skills (reading, math, media literacy, interdisciplinary)

Reading: standard number

6.12.1.1

Reading: standard text

Cite specific textual, visual or physical evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Math: standard number

Math: standard text

Media Literacy: standard number

Media Literacy: standard text

Interdisciplinary Connection

Minnesota Reflections Resources

7: Search Strategy

Things to Think About

How did logging and the lumber industry change over time? What is the cause and effect between the lumber industry and population growth? As the lumber industry grew, what new businesses developed? What changes in technology had an impact on logging and the lumber industry?

Keywords

Lumber industry, topographic lumber map, logging, lumberyard, lumber, millwork, architectural elements, lumber transportation

Other ideas (to assist with discovery)

Examine examples of architecture to see how a limited amount of lumber was used to build houses and how the architecture changed as more lumber was available.

Challenges to finding resources on this standard

There are many resources dealing with the production and growth of the lumber industry. Resources support the diversified uses and new businesses that emerged as a more consumer-oriented society developed. One challenge might be to narrow the resources to a particular geographic area. Another challenge is that there is only an indirect impact with regard to the development of labor unions; a few photographs depict railroad and stone mason union members.

8: Minnesota Reflections Top Picks

Title

Date created

Description

Format (photo, map, letter …)

"Cite the Item" link

Levi Ball Sawmill

1890

Sawmill in Avon Township-horse and wagon used for transportation

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,205

Tom Metcalf's Saw Rig

1895

Early sawmill (on left) in Stearns Co., milling machine (on right), includes community onlookers

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,229

Mitchell's Saw Mill

1909

Sawmill in Holdingford. Larger operation using horses

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,277

Construction of Watab Pulp and Paper Mill

1907

Brick Mill in Sartell; expansion of the industry, railroad used for transportation

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,209

Watab Pulp and Paper Mill

1907

Supply of Spruce Pulp wood ready to be manufactured into paper

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/stearns,210

Union Lumber Yard in Morris

1910-1917

Large lumber yard with many stacks of lumber

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/ste,1226

Topographic map of the southern part of St. Louis County

1915

Handwritten notations by Ray Segar in pencil and red ink regarding logging railroads and camps

Map

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/irrc,2249

Lumbering in Northern Minnesota: Old Fashioned Cork White Pine and Plenty of It

1924

Book with front cover showing an advanced lumber industry. Contents include text and pictures - examples in the next three picks.

Book

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/p15160coll9,45

Lumbering in Northern Minnesota: Old Fashioned Cork White Pine and Plenty of It (Introduction Page 1)

1924

The Introduction (this is page1 ) gives a summary of the expanded lumber industry

Book

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/p15160coll9,49

Lumbering in Northern MN: Old Fashioned Cork White Pine and Plenty of It (Introduction Page 2)

1924

Introduction: Page 2 discusses the economic impact

Book

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/p15160coll9,50

Lumbering in Northern Minnesota: Old Fashioned Cork White Pine and Plenty of It (Felling a big white pine)

1924

Felling a big white pine - two men use a hand saw to cut down a pine tree.

There are many other pictures of the logging process.

Book-photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/p15160coll9,55

Gertie Miller at the Merchants Carnival

1893

Gertie Miller at the Merchant Carnival wearing a costume decorated with wood shavings and millwork as an advertisement for the W H Dodge Lumber Co.

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/olms,592

Bell lumber and Pole Workers in New Brighton

1919

Lumber yards treated telephone poles - a new industry

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/nba,58

Log Cabin

1905

Basic log cabin in Big Stone County - depicts limited lumber and rough hewn boards

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/bsc,2747

Scholberg House on First Street

1920

House in Big Stone Country - depicts increased availability of lumber and improved technology in cutting the boards

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/bsc,2632

Running logs on Bullhead Lake, Kelliher, MN

1907

Transporting logs on the lake to the sawmill

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/belt,19

WT Bailey Lumber Company trucks

1910-1920

Transporting lumber by trucks

Photo

http://reflections.mndigital.org/u?/irrc,1136

9: Specific Minnesota Reflections Collection(s) to Consider (optional)

 

10: Helpful Tips (optional)

There are many photographs and maps in Minnesota Reflections related to logging and the lumber industry. I tried to select items that would help students see the change over time in the industry. Over the years, as more people moved to Minnesota, there was more demand for lumber for homes and businesses. This increase in population, along with new technology promoted growth in the industry and the development of new uses for lumber. The maps show the logging camps and development of the railroad lines to facilitate moving logs from the forests to the mills. I have included only a sample. By searching the key words listed, you will find many more items.

11: Ideas for Lesson Plans Using this Guide (optional)

Students could observe the logging camps, the increased amount of lumber at the lumberyards over time, and the new technology that was employed by these industries. They could use this information to discuss the reasons for the increased demand and how the industry was changing and expanding to meet the demand. They could analyze the types of jobs at the logging camps and the lumber mills, and how and why these jobs changed over time. Students could examine the various advancements in technology, such as: the hand saw to chain saw; rough hewn lumber to lumber sawed into boards; transporting logs by horse, water, truck, and railroad. Students could also analyze how this technology changed the distribution of lumber over time and what new uses were developed for lumber products as society continued to expand. The two pages of text could be used by students to cite specific examples of the growth and development of the lumber industry. The two photographs of the log house and Scholbergh home in Big Stone County could be the basis of a discussion regarding the change over time in size and style of housing based on available materials and tools. As an area developed, more materials, better equipment, and improved means of transportation allowed for more advanced buildings.

12: Other Online Collections that Help Teach this Standard (optional)