I have a stand of mature black ash and am wondering if it would make suitable timbers for a home. I have read several books on timber framing and can't find any mention of black ash suitability. My neighbors tell me that several of the large dairy barns in this area of Wisconsin contain black ash timbers which have held up well for over 50 years. I expect that it might have a tendency to split easily. Has anyone used black ash successfully or have any opinions on it? I would welcome any references to pertinent literature.