July 24th is Pioneer Day in Utah.  Pioneer Day commemorates the arrival of the Mormon pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847 (165 years ago!)

We mention this more to honor the pioneers (normal people with strong convictions who made tremendous sacrifices and accomplished incredible things) than to talk about reclaimed wood, but there are some cool connections between the pioneers and wood.  To share a couple. . .

Many of the pioneers traveled across the plains of the United States in wooden wagons or handcarts.  They discovered that it was much better to use dry, seasoned wood in constructing their wagons and handcarts than green, unseasoned wood.  Use of the latter (and the resulting shrinkage of the green lumber during the journey) significantly increased wagon and handcart maintenance issues (wagon/handcart joints pulling apart, axles breaking, wheels falling apart, etc.)  These issues were a contributing factor to the struggles of the Martin and Willie Handcart Companies.  The pioneers (especially those in charge of the vehicles) would definitely understand the stability advantage that reclaimed wood has over new, green wood.

The pioneers and other settlers of our country (who, of course, are pioneers in their own right) are the source of some of Trestlewood's most unique reclaimed wood products.  Hand-hewn timbers are a prime example of a distinctive reclaimed wood product that was the result of our industrious, resourceful forebears making the best of what they had.  These settlers felled some of the trees on their property and used them to construct homes for themselves and barns for their livestock.  Until they were able to build sawmills, they used axes to hew timbers from the felled trees.

We salute the pioneers and others who have gone before and presented us with such a "priceless heritage."