Riverwood Heartpine

When Carolina was first settled in the 1600’s, the land was dense with long leaf pine and cypress trees. They grew slowly, taking about 200 years to mature. The result was heart pine that had a unique character and beauty. The colony went to work cutting the timber and floating it down the river to saw mills in the port cities. Due to its slow growth, the timber was strong and durable. It was used to build boats, buildings, and homes. King George III claimed the largest trees within 3 miles of the Atlantic for himself. As a result heart pine became known as “the king’s wood.”

As the logs floated down the river or waited in holding pens near the mills, the densest ones would sink. The loggers did not have a way to retrieve the “sinkers” or a reason to do so with the abundant supply of logs. As the virgin forests dried up in the 1900’s and the saw mills were disassembled, the sinkers were forgotten and preserved under the mud of the riverbed… until today.

With a little historical research, sonar technology, and permits from North Carolina Government agencies, we are now able to retrieve the preserved logs. Trained log-recovery teams bring them up to a surface they have not seen in 100 years or more. Then we take them to the mill to prepare wood flooring, paneling, solid wood countertops, mantel pieces and a host of other products.

The wood that we recover is the same that is still walked on in Mt. Vernon, Monticello, and other early American historical sites. It has the same strength, color, and beauty – but without the 200 year wait. Bringing the unparalleled beauty of this unique wood and the rich history that goes with it to our customers is only part of our mission. Our other aim is to encourage and respect our environment. We reclaim antique lumber from existing structures (such as barns or buildings set to be torn down). See more under Antique Heart Pine. Once you have walked on a Heart Pine floor, you will be in love with its history and beauty.