Horse team hauling logs on skid road, ca 1904 (MOHAI 5930)

At first, loggers used oxen to haul logs out of the woods. Later, they used horses, which were more intelligent and easier to handle. The teams pulled the logs along skid roads to a river or railroad line. Skid roads were built of logs laid across or along the track. Greasing the skid road logs made it easier to pull the newly-cut logs through rough and muddy areas.
This photo was taken around 1904 in western Washington State. It shows a group of loggers with a large team of horses hauling logs along a skid road. The man in front holds a bucket of grease for "greasing the skids."

Subjects (LCTGM): Horse teams; Lumber industry; Skid roads; Woodcutters