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Owen L. Hall Lumber Industry photograph collection, circa 1880s-1974
Overview of the Collection
- Collector
- Hall, Owen L., 1908-1981
- Title
- Owen L. Hall Lumber Industry photograph collection
- Dates
- circa 1880s-1974 (inclusive)18751979
circa 1880s-1910s (bulk)18751925 - Quantity
- 1 box plus oversize materials, (121 photographs, 27 postcards, 2 albums and 12 lantern slides)
- Collection Number
- 1981.7351 (collection)
- Summary
- Photographs of the lumber industry in Washington State, largely circa 1880-1910, including images of crews, mills, equipment and operations.
- Repository
-
Museum of History & Industry, Sophie Frye Bass Library
P.O. Box 80816
Seattle, WA
98108
Telephone: 2063241126 x102
library@mohai.org - Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
- Languages
- English.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Born in Renton, Washington, Owen L. Hall was a lifelong resident of Seattle, living in the University District for much of his adult life. Hall worked in the lumber industry as a logger in Washington State for several years in the late 1930s-early 1940s, and developed a lasting interest in forestry. Over the years, Hall collected artifacts and images related to the lumber industry: saws, axes and other small tools, and photographs and postcards of lumber crews, sawmills, equipment, and other subjects related to lumber and logging.
Owen Hall died in 1981.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection is comprised largely of photographs of the early lumber industry in Washington State, circa 1880-1910. Several specific sawmills and mill crews are depicted, such as those at the Allen Shingle Company, Clear Lake Shingle Company, and the King Mill. Images of mill operations depict various pieces of machinery, from steam donkey engines and steam shovels, to setworks and saws operating inside mill buildings. Several images depict various modes of hauling lumber, from horse or oxen teams to flatbed railcars and trucks. One series consists of 11 photographs of logging in the early 1900s, by the Seattle photography studio of Webster & Stevens. Other images depict the Washington Saw Company float in the 1912 Golden Potlatch parade in Seattle, and the archway cut into the "bicycle tree" near Snohomish.The collection also includes several photographs of later mill operations and equipment, such as the Weyerhauser Timber Company pulp mill in Longview, Washington (1931) and equipment at the Walton Lumber Company (1955). Lantern slides also depict logging operations as well as mountain scenes.
The collection also includes two photograph albums, one containing images of mills and mill operations in Washington State and California, and the other depicting the six "gyppo" mills-- small, independent and often portable operations--in Washington State in 1955.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The Museum of History & Industry is the owner of the materials in the Sophie Frye Bass Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from MOHAI before any reproduction use. The museum does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Preferred Citation
Owen L. Hall Lumber Industry Photograph Collection, Museum of History & Industry, Seattle
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
Arranged in 4 series:
- Photographs
- Postcards
- Albums
- Lantern slides
Location of Collection
2b.1.10 (box 1)Location of Collection
1a.3.6-7(oversize photos)Location of Collection
VII.b.3 (panorama)Location of Collection
15b.2.drawer8 (lantern slides)Acquisition Information
Gift of Amelia Trowbridge, Owen Hall's daughter, December 14, 1981. Ms. Trowbridge donated additional materials (5 photographs and one postcard) in 2008.
Processing Note
Numbering of the photographs begins with number 61 because numbers 1-60 were assigned to collection artifacts during accessioning.
12 lantern slides and 8 photographs from the collection were found added to the inventory in 2010.
Separated Materials
These materials are part of a donation that also included a number of artifacts. These artifacts are cataloged and stored separately by MOHAI's Collections Department. A complete inventory of the artifacts is also available in the Library.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Photographs, Return to Top
- Sawmills
- Mill crews
- Equipment
- Transportation
- Webster & Stevens photographs
- Miscellaneous
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Sawmills |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/1 | 61-65: Allen Shingle Company, Cow Lake
Mill, Kent, Washington 5 photographs
Cow Lake is now Lake Meridian
Alexander Allen arrived in Seattle in 1881. He was the manager
of Seattle Dry Dock & Shipbuilding and also owned a shingle mill.
|
circa 1880s-1900 |
1/2 | 66: Seattle Cedar Lumber
Manufacturing Company (aerial view)
Color photograph is on the front of a card of instructions for
"application of factory-primed siding."
|
undated |
drawer:oversize | ||
VII.b.3 | 67: Weyerhauser Timber Company pulp
mill, Longview, Washington (panorama)
Wilson Pain
, Longview
(photographer)
Additional information on photograph: "Chris Kuppler's Sons,
General Contractors"
|
1931 March 3 |
Box/Folder | ||
1/3 | 68-73: Aerial views of mills and
timber
Air Photo
, Seattle
(photographer)
6 photographs
Group includes one non-aerial photograph of boat
Steelhead
|
1962-1963 |
1/4 | 74: View of lumber mill across
water, Skamokawa, Washington |
circa 1880s |
1/5 | 75-80, 378: Mill buildings and grounds --
unidentified 7 photographs
|
circa 1880s-1890s |
Mill crews |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/6 | 81: King Mill Company, Inc.
crew |
circa 1880s-1890s |
1/7 | 82: King Manufacturing Company
shingle mill crew, Snoqualmie, Washington 3 copies
|
circa 1880s-1900 |
1/8 | 83: Clear Lake Shingle Company
crew
Darius
Kinsey
(photographer)
11" x 14"
Caption on image: "Clear Lake Shingle Co., Clear Lake, Wash.
Timber Views Co."
|
circa 1880s-1890s |
1/9 | 84-85: Men with pike poles in log
pond
Hanson Studio
, Snohomish, Washington
(photographer)
2 photographs
Both photographs are marked with an "x" over one man, who is
identified on verso as Harry Moore.
|
circa 1880s-1900 |
1/10 | 86-88, 380, 382-385: Mill crews in front of mill
buildings 8 photographs
One image (86) depicts two African-American men among the mill
crew.
|
circa 1880s-1890s |
1/11 | 89: Steam shovel and construction
crew |
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 90: Three men near steam
donkey
Identifications on verso: B.N. Bighorn, Fred Nygren, Mr.
Taylor
|
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 91: Five men with axes |
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 92: Three fallers standing on
spring boards near undercut |
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 93: Crew on log near horse
team
Copy print
|
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 94: Logging crew
Negative on file
|
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 95- 98: Men on or near giant
logs 4 photographs
Negative for 95 on file
|
circa early 1900s |
1/12 | 99: Man near pulley |
circa early 1900s |
box:oversize | ||
H1 | 202: Crew near buildings
Darius
Kinsey
(photographer)
|
circa early 1900s |
Equipment |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/13 | 100-109: Mill equipment at Walton Lumber
Company
10
photographs
5" x 7"
Each photograph is stamped or stickered on verso identifying
it as originating from
The Lumberman magazine.
|
circa 1955 |
1/14 | 110-111: Mill equipment with Selectric
setworks 2 photographs
Photographs show men working on equipment at Walton Lumber
Company in Everett and Cascade Lumber Company in Ellensburg. Photos are mounted
on black paper with captions indicating that machines use Selectric setworks
systems.
|
undated |
1/15 | 112-129: Sawmill and mill
equipment 18 color
snapshots
Snapshots of an unidentified mill showing exterior structures
and interiors with equipment.
|
circa 1974 |
1/16 | 130-131: Circular structure on wheels,
possibly a log sorting device 2 copies of
each
|
1961 |
box:oversize | ||
G2 | 202: Steam donkey in
wood
Darius
Kinsey
(photographer)
Printed on photograph: General view of yarding donkey in
Washington woods.
|
undated |
Transportation |
||
Box/Folder | ||
1/17 | 132: Oxen team hauling logs on skid
road
Boyd & Braas
, Seattle
(photographer)
|
circa 1890s |
1/17 | 133: Oxen team hauling logs
Watson,
Portland, Oregon
(photographer)
Caption on mount: "Logging near Columbia River. About
1880"
|
circa 1880 |
1/18 | 134: Horse team hauling logs on skid
road
Copy print
|
circa early 1900s |
1/18 | 135-137, 379, 381: Horse-drawn flat cars and
sleds 5 photographs
|
circa 1890-1920 |
1/19 | 138: Crew on flatbed railcar near
steam donkey |
circa 1890s-1900 |
1/20 | 139: Men on loaded Northern Pacific
flatbed railcar headed for Wescott's Mill
Pautzke Photo
(photographer)
Caption on photo: "For Wescott's Mill"
Caption on mount: "Hauling logs in Kittitas County, Ellensburg" Caption on verso: "Logging transfer Wescott's Mill. Right to left: Tom Flynn, Dan Wescott. Left end: Frank Wescott" |
1907 |
1/21 | 140-141: Logs on flatbed
railcars 2 photographs
Writing on verso of 140: "Train at Ryder Wood"
|
undated |
1/21 | 142-145: Rail cars 4 photographs
Writing on verso of 142: "West Fork Log. Co. Andy Mackie,
Engineer. 40 yrs old. Mineral, Wash."
|
circa early 1900s |
1/21 | 146: Rail car loaded with fir
logs
Negative on file
|
circa early 1900s |
1/21 | 147: Truck hauling logs in Thompson
Falls, Montana
Negative on file
|
1973 |
Webster & Stevens
photographs
Webster & Stevens
, Seattle
(photographer)
11 photographs
Webster & Stevens number given in parentheses
|
circa 1900-1905 | |
Box/Folder | ||
1/22 | 148: Crew at top of log chute
(2434) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 149: Crew of McNeeley-Wilcox
Logging Company hauling logs to water with steam donkey (2440) |
1903 April 3 |
1/22 | 150: Hauling log on skid road
(2441) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 151: Rigging crew, showing lines and
chokers on logs (2443) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 152: Family near steam donkey and 14
horse team at logging camp (2447) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 153: Log crib dam under construction
(2449) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 154: Logs on rail cars at log dump,
Yeon Pelton Company, Rainier, Oregon (2454) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 155: Shingle mill, Machias,
Washington (2471) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 156: Logs descending log chute
(2473) |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 157: Log chute, Yeon Pelton Company,
Rainier, Oregon |
circa 1900-1905 |
1/22 | 158: May Creek Logging Company rail
car and crew |
circa 1900-1905 |
Miscellaneous |
||
Washington Saw Company float
for Golden Potlatch parade, Seattle |
1912 | |
box:oversize | ||
H1 | 159: Washington Saw Company float
showing 84 inch diameter saw blade
Pierson & Co.
, Seattle
(photographer)
2 copies
|
1912 |
Box/Folder | ||
1/23 | 160-161: Men on Washington Saw Works
float for Golden Potlatch, Seattle 2 photographs
Photo 160 by
Roman's Photographic
Company
, Seattle
(photographer)
Float pictured in front of Washington Saw Works building at
2921 First Avenue South
|
1912 |
1/23 | 162: Men in cars with Washington
Saw Company banner |
1912 |
Box/Folder | ||
1/24 | 163-165: "Bicycle Tree" near Snohomish,
Washington
3 photographs
3.5" x 5.5"
Photographs of people and a car near the "Bicycle Tree," a
large cedar tree with a archway cut into its trunk, along a dirt road in what
is now Snohomish, Washington. The tree had served as a milestone on a favorite
bicycling route in the 1880s when Snohomish Bicycle Club president David Lewis
Paramore led the effort to have a pathway cut through the massive trunk. The
tree, compromised by floodwaters from the Snohomish River and buffeted by
gusting winds, toppled in 1927.
|
circa early 1900s |
1/25 | 166: Children on railroad tracks
amid timber 2 copies
|
circa early1900s |
1/25 | 167: Two men and two women on
log
Writing on verso: "George and Tony Zoffel camp at St. Paul
& Tacoma Lumber Co."
|
circa early 1900s |
1/25 | 168: Two men shaking hands on tree
fallen across pathway
Photograph mounted on page which was probably removed from a
scrapbook (with 169-170)
|
circa early 1900s |
1/25 | 169-170: Man standing on lumber flatbed
railcar on collapsed pier 2 photographs
Photographs are mounted on pages which were probably removed
from a scrapbook (with 168)
|
circa early 1900s |
1/25 | 171-172: Views through
timber 2 photographs
|
circa early 1900s |
1/25 | 386: Men near trees and
water
Pickett
, Index, Washington
Caption on photo: "Pioneers"
Photographer's number: 3820
|
1928 |
173-199: Postcards, undatedReturn to Top
19 black and white and 8 color or colorized postcards. Postcards of the lumber industry depict logging crews, log trains, steam donkeys and other logging equipment, big trees and logs, horse teams and one colorized postcard of Monte Cristo, Washington in 1894. Includes one colorized postcard of a Frank H. Nowell photograph of Gray's Harbor Lumber Company, Aberdeen, Washington.
AlbumsReturn to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates |
---|---|---|
Box | ||
1 | 200: Album 1: Lumber industry
photographs and postcards 21 photographs
13 postcards
|
circa early 1900s |
200.1-200.2: Log pond, horse team and crew
at Shaw Log Company, Snohomish
Copy prints
Identification based on writing on verso. |
circa early 1900s | |
200.3: Logs and steam
engine
Copy print
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.4: Logs being hauled on
flatcar
Frank
Reed
(photographer)
Copy print
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.5: Steam log train and shingle
bolts, Everett area
Copy print
|
1913 | |
200.6: Men near log engine |
circa 1900 | |
200.7: Log train with Climax
locomotive, Port Angeles
Bert
Kellogg
(photographer)
Copy print
|
1911 | |
200.8: Log train with Climax
locomotive, Port Crescent
Bert
Kellogg
(photographer)
Copy print
|
1902 | |
200.9: Sawmill at Index, Washington
Picket Photo
Co.
(photographer)
Photographic postcard |
circa 1910s | |
200.10: Sawmill at Marysville,
Washington Photographic postcard |
circa 1914 | |
200.11: Kulsey Lumber Company mill
buildings and yard, Valley, Washington Photographic postcard |
1914 | |
200.12: Fire engine at Galen Lumber
Company, Index, Washington
Picket Photo
Co.
(photographer)
Photographic postcard |
circa 1910s | |
200.13: Loading log train Photographic postcard |
circa early 1900s | |
200.14: Men with large log on
flatcar Photographic postcard |
circa early 1900s | |
200.15: Men amid timber: "Clearing land
near Tracyton" Photographic postcard |
circa early 1900s | |
200.16: Men near steam
donkey Photographic postcard |
circa early 1900s | |
200.17: Palmer and Libby Logging
Company Shay locomotive Photographic postcard |
circa early 1900s | |
200.18: West Side Lumber Company Hysler
locomotive Photographic postcard |
early 1900s | |
200.19: Men with 9 feet diameter log
inside Port Blakely mill building |
circa 1912 | |
200.20: Workers outside mill
building |
circa 1900 | |
200.21: Lamb-Davis Lumber Company
sawmill, Leavenworth, Washington
Oakes
Photo
(photographer)
Photographic postcard |
early 1900s | |
200.22: Lamb-Davis Lumber Company dam,
Leavenworth, Washington
Oakes
Photo
(photographer)
Photographic postcard |
early 1900s | |
200.23: View of sawmill across water,
Snohomish, Washington
Elite
Studio
(photographer)
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.24: Birds-eye view of sawmill,
Bullwinkle, California
Seely
Foto
(photographer)
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.25: Log train with Shay locomotive
at log dump |
circa early 1900s | |
200.26-.27, 200.29: Log trains
3 photographs :
hand-colored
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.28: Logging camp showing railcar on
tracks
hand-colored
|
circa early 1900s | |
200.30: Birds-eye view of Everett
Milling Company and town of Everett |
undated | |
200.31: Saw blades inside mill
building, Crescent City, California |
undated | |
200.32: Truck loaded with lumber on
dirt road |
circa early 1900s | |
200.33: Large man with axe near
tree |
circa early 1900s | |
200.34: Trees growing from fallen
redwood
Paterson
(photographer)
Caption: "Reincarnation of the Redwood. Hartsook's."
|
undated | |
200.35-.36: Loggers among trees |
undated | |
1 | 201: "Gypos" 1 album containing 34
photographs
Gyppo (or gypo) loggers were independent contractors, often
family-based, in the post World-War II timber economy. These small-time, often
portable, operations took on small jobs that would have been rejected by the
larger mills.
This album documents six gyppo mills in Washington State in 1955, showing mill owners and employees, with equipment and operations often set up under temporary shelters. |
1955 |
201.1-.7: Waterman's Mill, Langley,
Washington 7 photographs
Photographs depict Bernard Waterman and his workers loading a
large log onto a cart; caption indicates Corley brand sawmill equipment is
being used.
|
1955 April 12 | |
201.8-15: Frie Brothers Mill, Langley,
Washington 8 photographs
Depicts a portable mill, showing equipment and an underslung
diesel engine, and two men, "Fred" and "Bob."
|
1955 April 12 | |
201.16-.18: Pioneer Mill Company, Oroville,
Washington 3 photographs
One photograph of lumber under shelter and two of a car in the
snow. Caption on page: "Joe Hartley's mill on Chesaw Road NE of Oroville."
|
1955 April 26 | |
201.19-.22: Landreth Timber Company,
Tonasket, Washington 4 photographs
Includes two photographs of "air dogs," one photograph of Bill
Siegrist and Ivan Landreth, and one photograph captioned "Landreth's new mater
carriage with Sel-Set preset setworks."
|
1955 April 27 | |
201.23-.27: Roy Neal's mill near Freeland,
Washington on Whidby Island 5 photographs
Includes photographs of Roy Neal and of mill operations.
|
1955 May | |
201.28-.34: Lee Bloom's Mill on Guemes
Island, Washington 7 photographs
Images depict Lee Bloom working on logs at his mill.
|
1955 May |
366-377 : Lantern slides, undatedReturn to Top
Lantern slides of unidentified logging and mountain scenes.
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Climax locomotives
- Donkey engines
- Horse teams--Washington (State)
- Logs
- Lumber industry--Washington (State)
- Lumberyards--Washington (State)
- Ox teams--Washington (State)
- Railroad cars--Washington (State)
- Sawmill workers--Washington (State)
- Sawmills--Washington (State)
- Skid roads--Washington (State)
Corporate Names
- Webster & Stevens (photographer)
Geographical Names
- Seattle, Wash.
Form or Genre Terms
- Photograph albums
- Photographic postcards
- Photographic prints