American Chestnut Lumber Sawn from Sound Live Logs

Logged from a stand of American Chestnut in LaCrosse County, WI near West Salem, WI.

In 2002, When the trees were cut from which this lumber was sawn, the American Chestnuts in the mixed stand of Northern hardwoods constituted the largest ‘Chestnut Grove’ in the world.

Sadly, that grove has now secumbed to the chestnut blight and has died out completely, leaving only stump sprouts.

From logs sawn in 2002, there is 1119 board feet of lumber. 959 board feet of this are 4/4 random width. There are a few 6’ and 7’ pcs. The majority of lengths are 8’ with a few 9’ and 10’. Average width is around 7”.

The remaining 160 board feet are 8/4 lumber in 8’ lengths.

Note: There was a quantity of 5/4 stock cut originally. There was a question about adequate thickness on this lumber. Consequently it was all scaled as 4/4.

All this lumber was dried in a solar kiln at the sawmill where it was sawn, near Monroe, WI.

It has been stored, carefully stickered in a machine shed for all the intervening years.

In addition to the above, there are 553 board feet of American Chestnut 4/4 quarter sawn from an earlier harvest of much larger trees which occurred in 1970. Lengths of this lumber are 8’, 10’, and 12’.

Total footage: 1672 board feet

Sell price: $20 per board foot

Buyer to arrange shipping from New Glarus, WI

Lumber offered on an All or Nothing basis.

If interested in purchase, or for more information, contact Buz Holland at (608) 527-2424‬

Note: This is the only known supply of such a rare commodity in the entire world.

Note: Grade on this lumber runs approximately 50% sel & btr and 50% #1 & #2 common - sound defect with large percentages of clear cuttings. Mostly heartwood with some sapwood. Wood does have some beetle damage in sapwood.

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