In the 19th century, the United States saw massive tree cutting as settlers pushed westward and industries rapidly expanded. Forests were cleared for farmland, railroads, mining operations, lumber mills, and booming new cities, leaving entire regions stripped of old-growth woods that had stood untouched for centuries. Logging camps moved across the country like waves, feeding the nation’s hunger for timber to build homes, factories, and infrastructure. As millions of acres vanished, the rapid de