Reclaimed Antique Hand Hewn Wood Beams

Hand Hewn Beams were fallen logs, hewn into shape using a broad axe known in its time as an ‘adze’, which lends to the term of hand hewn sometimes being referred to as ‘hand adzed’.  Originally, shaping a log into a beam with an axe was the only method.  With the invention of steam power, rough sawn beams became a more available resource.  In the story of the migration west, logs were hand hewn by early settlers who were isolated and did not have access to a nearby mill.  Also, in the process of clearing the land, it made more sense and was more cost effective for a settler to utilize the trees that were felled to clear the land for their barn beams as opposed to purchasing them from a local mill.  This occurred in most cases and the settlers used whatever trees were closest to the structure, producing some interesting surprises when the barns are deconstructed for reclamation.  Nevertheless, rural structures built out of hand hewn beams are a testament to the settler way of life and the skill and hard work it took to survive on the frontier.