photo by Photo courtesy Freeborn County Historical Museum

This photo was taken about a century ago in a wooded area in Oakland Township. The three men were taking a smoking break during the cutting of wood for use during the winter months. From left are Frank Skala, Ignatz Skala and Joe Skala Sr. Their main tools for cutting the wood into sizes needed in the stoves of rural homes were shown as a crosscut saw and two axes.

The days when everybody warmed with wood

Staff

Published Saturday, November 22, 2008

Note: This is the first of two parts.

One of the essential necessities of both rural and town life a century ago was to have enough wood needed to furnish the heat needed for the homes, businesses, schools and churches, for home cooking, and even for heating bath water. Thus, going out into the wood lots and farm groves was a prime late fall and early winter activity. In that era there weren’t any gasoline or electrical chainsaws available to make the job somewhat easier. Crosscut saws and axes were used instead.

Incidentally, an old saying based on this activity is still true. Working with wood warms a person twice; once when the wood is cut and stacked, and secondly when the wood is burned at a later date.

(Part two will feature some of the stoves which were used a century ago to burn wood in area homes.)

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