Historical Archaeology Presentation
Presentation by Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D., RPA
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Between 1867 and 1938, thousands of men and women from around the world toiled in the timber-rich Uinta Mountains in northeastern Utah cutting ties for the growing transcontinental railroad systems. “Tie-hacking” became an enduring and stable industry because each mile of railroad required between 2,300 and 3,000 crossties. There was also a need for continued track maintenance and tie replacement on existing lines.
A presentation “Tie-hacking Industry in the Uinta Mountains, 1867-1938,” will be given by Christopher W. Merritt, a senior preservation specialist for the Utah Division of State History, on Wednesday, May 7 at the Brigham City Museum of Art and History at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located at 24 North 300 West. The entrance is on the west side. For further information, please phone (435) 226-1439 or visit www.brighamcitymuseum.org.
The event celebrates both Utah Archaeology Week (May 3-10) and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (on May 10, 1869).
Forests in the Uintas contained many species of trees that could be used for ties, specifically the lodgepole pine with its straight and tall growth, gradual taper, relatively clear trunk and ideal size for hewing (shaping with an ax). The lengthy tie-making process included felling, limbing, scoring, hewing, peeling (bark) and treating trees with a preservative, then dragging them to a site near a road where they were stacked. In the spring, the trees were floated on fast-flowing steams to major shipping points such as railroad towns or railroad crossings.
Merritt’s research about this high-country way of life was recently submitted to the National Register of Historic Places. Merritt has a Ph.D. from the University of Montana in Anthropology and has previously worked for the United States Forest Service and private archaeological firms in Nevada, Utah and Montana.
***Article written by Mary Alice Hobbs
Caption for photos: “Tie Hacker in Uinta Mountains, #1”
“Tie Hacker in Uinta Mountains, #2”
“Tie Hacker’s Home Under Construction
