Hawk Lake Log Chute

Can’t visit the site? These pages are copies of what’s at the on-site kiosk

The logging industry generated a variety of unique tools that served highly specific purposes in the woods, on the river, at the mill, and for moving sawn lumber away. Some of the river-driving tools are still used today in logging, but many are considered antiques to be collected and used for decoration.

Alligator	Peavey	Cant Hook
Invented by a Canadian, this flat-bottomed, amphibious barge could winch itself overland between two lakes, and was used to warp log booms across lakes.	A peavey is a stout, wooden lever about five to six feet in length with a sharp spike on the end and an adjustable steel hook used for turning logs.	A cant hook was a tool like a peavey but it had a toe ring and lip at the end rather than a spike.
Pike Pole	Caulk Boots	Pickaroon
A 12’ to 16’ pole with a two-pronged end used for moving logs around a river. The straight point was used to push logs, and the curved hook for grabbing and pulling them.	Calks or caulks (pronounced “corks”) were sharp, short spikes set in the soles of high, leather boots to prevent the men from falling off logs.	A pickaroon was used with one hand to finesse a log into position when a lot of force wasn’t required; broken axes were often made into pickaroons.