I had been told when visiting an old lumber camp tourist attraction that
the circular saw was a mid-nineteenth century invention.

I have been trying to determine what an early Nineteenth Century steam
saw would look like. In doing a google search, I find a lot of
references to circular saws even in Seventeenth and Eighteenth century,
including ganged circular saws in Eighteenth Century.

Anyone know when the circular saw was invented, and did a reciprocating
power saw precede it? I realize the first power saws were water powered
rather than steam, so I guess power saws could go back quite aways.