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One of the big challenges to early logging was getting the logs out of the forest, especially when you were faced with rivers and steep hills. This photo taken by Kinsey of a trestle (I believe over the Nisqually River) demonstrates how they did it. The supports are larger timbers, but it’s the foundation that gives one pause.…
In 1911, should be you have the chance to stay at Camp in the Clouds at Mount Rainier, you would have met a number of these folks — the staff mostly from the Ashford area. “Kate Borden, standing in the middle, is surrounded by family members and neighbors. The camp was open from mid-July to the…
If you were looking for “glamping” at Mount Rainier back in the late 1800s or early 1900s, Camp of the Clouds was the way to go. “Camp of the Clouds was first established in 1886 at the 5,900-foot level on the east end of Alta Vista Ridge. The tent hotel was set up and removed…
Mount Rainier National Park written by local resident Donald M. Johnstone is part of the Postcard History Series. The book is available in bookstores and on Amazon.com. It’s a great look at the park from its start to the present using postcards (aka amazing visuals). And the book is filled with wonderful historical facts compiled…
National, Wash. was an active logging area for years. A widely known photographer, Clark Kinsey, who documented the Northwest logging industry took some amazing pictures of the logging sites. Here is a Kinsey shot taken around 1920. You have to look closely to see the logger. He probably wouldn’t get high marks from OSHA today, but it definitely…
This picture of the Eatonville Lumber Co. logging camp gives a lot of detail about logging in the early 20th century— from the locomotive there to take out the lumber, the size of the trees, and the use of steam donkeys. Also, the safety gear we’re used to seeing today has yet to be invented.…
This is a wonderful shot of Elwin Haynes and the family dog Potlatch. Potlatch is still remember as he was practically famous around the area as a hunting dog. Stories are still told (see Dixie’s comments below). Potlatch may have gotten too famous. Family members say that the dog was eventually stolen. Photo courtesy of the Haynes…
All the information I have with this photo is “Alder Road Construction.” If anyone has more details, please share them. The planks in the background I assume were going to be used for the road. I say this because here’s another shot, this time of Alder’s main street, made from planks. Images courtesy of Pat…
This Rainier National Park Travelogue let climbers record their climbs. They included: • The Sky-Line Trail — Saddle Horse • Summit Climb — afoot • Nisqually Glacier Trip — afoot • Paradise-Stevens Glacier Trip — afoot • Muir Camp Trip — afoot. • Pinnacle Peak Climb — afoot. This travelogue is dated 1923 (over 80…
The trees were enormous early in the 1900s. Here are Emma Boettcher McGilvery and Ernest Boettcher of Alder standing with some of the incredible trees. What seems almost impossible to imagine is that the tree Ernest is standing in front of was sawed down with a two man crosscut saw. If you look closely you…
The Eatonville School Band played at the early Western Washington Fair in 1910, then called the Valley Fair. This year, the band had a special attraction, a bull. I’ll have to find out the name of the bull, as it’s still remembered as an incredibly friendly bull. As you can see, the smaller members of…
The kids at Harts Lake School look just like the kids from today, just a little different clothes and fewer cell phones. Mabel Stafford is third from the left. And Bill Horsfall is 5th from the right with his hands in his pockets. Bill would go on to help make the Harts Lake Loop Road…
Eatonville To Rainier 