Old Church pews

Most pews are OAK.

Except for the ones that are not

1. White Chestnut pews. They have been stained dark

Not too many walnut or mahogany though----- I've seen lots of (mostly backless) backless pine "benches" in old mennonite meeting houses but the majority of older (1920-1960) wooden "pews" in this area are oak. Some elm. Some of the newer ones are Maple or ash. I guess the locale would have some bearing as local hardwoods would often be used. In the middle eastern states American Chestnut may well have been common - and perhaps Cherry - but up here those woods would have been "exotic", and although Black Walnut was "native" and "local" it was generally used for fine furniture and veneer. Oak seams to be pretty well universally available for furnishings in the Northern Hemisphere.

Might take a little work - but if it is real solid wood, might be a source of old growth - wide boards that have stabilized.

Hate to see something like that happen - might have been a gift from a cattle man years ago - and now a new group goes for Stainless ?

Mart> Just a few blocks from my apartment an old church building is being

Ayah, Dubai, Qatar, Bahrain ... ;o)

I thought you put your Ash in a pew.