Faculty Advisor
Timothy Neary, Marcus Nevius, Jon Marcoux
Abstract
This dissertation explores the impact of the John L. Roper Lumber Company during the second half of the nineteenth century. Following the Civil War, immigrants, poor whites, and men and women of color were exploited by southern industries that had earlier relied almost exclusively on enslaved labor. At the same time, rapid expansion of railroads granted access to timberlands previously out of reach for aspiring lumbermen. Public awareness of lumbering’s negative impacts generated calls for more government oversight and conservation. Land reclamation projects and environmental protections, along with economic stability and development, are legacies of the lumber industry which resulted in both successes and failures.
Recommended Citation
Thurston, Michael, "The John L. Roper Lumber Company: How Canals, Lumber Towns, and Railroads Changed the Tidewater Landscape, 1850-1900" (2025). Ph.D. Dissertations (Open Access). 10.
https://digitalcommons.salve.edu/phd_dissertations/10
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