Study by Edward Cook Published in Journal of Archaeological Science
Dendroarchaeological analysis of the Terminal Warehouse in New York City reveals a history of long-distance timber transport during the Gilded Age
Dr. Edward R. Cook, Ewing Lamont Research Professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, was part of a study recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports:
The Gilded Age of the late 19th century marked a period of rapid development and urbanization in New York City, U.S. To accommodate the high demand in wood products during that time, the timbers used for development of the city were increasingly sourced from locations distant from the northeastern United States. The Terminal Warehouse in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City was one of many large buildings erected during this period of city expansion, and is an important symbol of New York City commerce during the late 1800s. To determine the history and provenance of timbers used in the construction of the Terminal Warehouse, we used tree-ring analysis on longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) joists that were original to the building.
Access the full study here, and read an article on the study in Columbia Climate School's State of the Planet.