Abstract:
Wilmington-based Cape Fear Riverwood recovers from the bottom of the Cape Fear River centuries-old logs that were floated downriver by loggers from the late 1700s to early 1900s. Many of the logs that sank along the route are rare old-growth cypress and heart pine between three and seven hundred years old. Once cut, the wood is used in flooring, furniture, and house building. The wood is popular because of its hue, incredibly tight grain, age, and rarity. Since the company was found in the 1990s, around 25,000 logs have been reclaimed. The company estimates that around one million logs still lie on the river bottom, so there is no danger of ever running out of material.