Martha Parrish (who just turned 99 this year) said that forest fires up in the hills around Eatonville were a common thing when she was young. You’d often see the smoke rising up out of the woods in the summer.
You don’t hear much about early fire fighters though. Here’s a picture of Nate Williams (far right) and the crew, with is grandson Cecil on the far left. The note on the back of the photo reads, “Working on forest fire above Eatonville on Bird Creek. Nate was cook and I was dish washer.
Wish I could zoom in a little closer to see what the men were eating.
Tom Smallwood says that Bird Creek is also known as Berg Creek, if you’re looking at map. It flows into Lynch Creek at from the north.
If you’re looking for directions to the spot, Rich Williams says, “It’s located on (former) Weyerhaeuser property
up by the old Ohop Lookout tower. If you drive up the Weyerhaeuser Road to where the original gate used to be, the road forks just above this gate. Take the fork to the left and drive about one mile, you will come to another road to your left. If you take that road you are on your way to where the old Ohop Lookout tower was located. The first bridge you cross will be Lynch Creek. The second bridge you cross will be Bird Creek. Bird Creek is a very short tributary starting in the foothills below the lookout.
It travels a very short distance before it merges into Lynch Creek.
Photo courtesy of Rich Williams.
Click on image to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
2 responses to “Feeding the Fire Crew (early 1920s)”
Diane,
Berg Creek, I believe also known as Bird Creek flow into Lynch Creek from the north. I found it on one my maps and the creek I have always known as Bird Creek was actually named Berg Creek.
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Thanks SO much.
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