Timber Mugs
Description: The better commercial chainsaws were primarily manufactured in Germany and when World War II interrupted their availability to North America, new manufacturers sprang up. One such company was the Canadian firm, Industrial Engineering Limited (IEL), who began making top tier chainsaws in 1939 to fill the void, making them the oldest manufacturer of chainsaws in North America. IEL saws are still prized by woodworkers and collectors alike, with most still running like a top.
Description: Initial logging enterprises in mid-1800s Washington State existed to supply timber to California’s Gold Rush and the population growth it precipitated. But when the Northern Pacific railroad opened a direct rail link over the Cascades to Tacoma in 1887, and with Wisconsin and Minnesota already grossly depleted by deforestation, Washington and the Pacific Northwest quickly assumed the role of primary timber supplier to the nation, ensuring the region’s rapid development as it entered the 20th century and 'Washington's toothpicks' became an increasingly common sight as loggers hauled them down the highways and byways.
