These are great shots taken in Kapowsin, and some by Kinsey, the professional photographer of the time, who went around a captured the Northwest logging era.
The first picture shows the crew, as well as a steam donkey off to the left. The second shot shows one of the men working through a large tree with a handsaw. (My shoulders get sore just looking at this picture.) If you look at the third picture you can see the logging camp nestled down there.
St. Paul and the Tacoma Lumber Company were big players at the time.
Want to thank Sandra Wood for sharing these great shots. There are more to come. Her dad had kept them over the years and she is sharing them with us now.
Click on images to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
10 responses to “St. Paul – Tacoma Lumber Co. – Kapowsin Logging (ca. 1920s)”
Hi there!
I was looking at the bottom photo where the old logging camp is. Do you know the river name that flows past the camp? I’m guessing upper Puyallup or the Mowich, but don’t know for sure. I planted a lot of trees during the 1970’s up there somewhere.
Thanks. Jak Kelso
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I’m not sure. I got a group of shots that I believe came out of Kapowsin. I can check and see if there are some maps around.
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It’s the Mowich
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Thanks Dianne, it not really important, just curious.
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The logger with the big log is my Great Uncle Willis “Wild Bill” Clark McAbee. The log is already bucked through and he is posing. He was very likely St.Paul’s Camp 1 foreman at the time and probably took Kinsey around on his speeder. We have this and other Kinsey photos from both brothers in our family collection. Both Ace my grandfather and Bill knew both Kinseys quite well.
Clark McAbee
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This is camp five I spent my child years here son of Roy Stier..Down The. Hill. .
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So cool. Any memories you’d like to share?
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My dad Jack Cuddie was woods Forman for St. Paul late 40s to early 50s I was about 8 to 12 years old at the time I remember deer hunting there with my dad going to camp 5 fishing and swimming in kapowsin lake Ray Jewett was shop Forman he and my dad were close friends Ray had a cabin available to him he had a son Dennis me and Dennis spent a lot of time at the cabin so many great memories
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I would appreciate if anyone could give me any other information about that time period
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Hi again.There are some local history books written by local folks that are in the Eatonville library. I would check there first.
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