In 1880, most of West Virginia was still covered in ancient forests, but by 1920, much of it was cleared. Early sawmills used water power, but steam and electric mills later allowed companies to cut trees faster. Railroads helped move equipment and ship lumber to markets. Logging grew quickly, but companies focused on making money, not saving forests. Farmers hoped to use the cleared land, but the soil wasn’t good, and they couldn’t compete with farms in the Midwest. Deforestation caused big problems—fires, floods, and pollution. In 1920, the Monongahela National Forest was created to help protect the land. By the 1930s, most forests were gone, and many logging companies and railroads had left, leaving behind damaged land and struggling communities.