A Day With a Forest Industry Photograph Album, June 15, 1953

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Simpson Logging Company
Title
A Day With a Forest Industry Photograph Album
Dates
June 15, 1953 (inclusive)
Quantity
1 album containing 20 photographs (1 box) : black and white ; 4.5 x 6.5
Collection Number
PH0709
Summary
Photograph album commemorating a field trip taken by American Institute of Architects Annual Meeting attendees to the Simpson Logging Company in 1953
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Historical BackgroundReturn to Top

The Simpson Logging Company was incorporated in 1895 by Sol Simpson with the backing of a group of investors. The Simpson Logging Company soon became one of the major businesses of Mason and Grays Harbor counties. By 1898, the company was operating eight logging camps, 80 miles of railroad, and had a daily production capacity of half a million board feet.

Sol Simpson, and Simpson Logging Company, were the first to use horsepower in logging, as well as mechanical "horsepower" at the logging site in the form of a "Walking Dudley" -- a donkey engine and large wheel on a moveable car used for mechanizing production. Sol Simpson was also one of the first to take the long-term view of the timber industry. Unlike other operators, he held on to his cutover land to harvest it again. He died in 1906 and after his death, his son-in-law, Mark Reed, and another businessman bought out the other shareholders of Simpson Logging Company.

The Simpson Logging Company, now the Simpson Investment Company, remains the oldest continuously operated forest products company in the Pacific Northwest and continues to be managed by the descendents of its original founder. During the 85th American Insitute of Architects (AIA) Annual Convention, held in Seattle, Washington, from June 15-19th, 1953, AIA attendees visited the Simpson Logging Company facility in Mason County.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The album contains photographs documenting a 1953 visit to the Simpson Logging Company in Mason County made by people attending the American Institute of Architects Annual Meeting. The photographs document a tour of the Simpson Woodfiber plant, demonstrations of logging machinery, tree topping and felling, and a picnic. It includes a photograph of Hap Johnson, the world's champion tree topper, demonstrating his work.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for details.

Preferred Citation

The required credit line for use of images from Special Collections is: University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, [plus the negative number].

The negative number is provided with the image and is a letter + number combination such as UW13452; Hegg 1234; or NA1275. A typical credit line would be, University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections, UW13452.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Custodial History

Album originally sent to Ray Alderson by T.F. Gleed, President, Simpson Logging Company, as a memento of the trip. Letter from T.F. Gleed to Ray Alderson is in the collection's case file.

Acquisition Information

Source: Wessel and Lieberman Booksellers, Seattle, Washington, September 2002.

Processing Note

Processed by Sayaka Ito; processing completed in October 2005.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Container(s) Description Dates
Album item
1 1 Title page: "85th Annual AIA Convention field trip to Simpson Logging Company" June 15, 1953
1 2 AIA attendees arriving at Simpson’s Woodfiber plant June 15, 1953
1 3 Entering the Simpson Woodfiber plant managed by C.L. Walton June 15, 1953
1 4 Viewing woodfiber processing machinery June 15, 1953
1 5 Group watching woodfibers be extruded in sheets June 15, 1953
1 6 Demonstration of a log barker machine at the Olympic Plant June 15, 1953
1 7 Demonstration of the lathing process with fir logs June 15, 1953
1 8 Line of people viewing processed boards June 15, 1953
1 9 Picnicing at Camp Bull o’ the Woods on Mason Lake June 15, 1953
1 10 Group standing on bank around Mason Lake June 15, 1953
1 11-13 Crowd watching log rolling contest on Mason Lake June 15, 1953
1 14 Tree planting crew in newly logged area with AIA attendees watching from a distance June 15, 1953
1 15 Crowd of AIA attendees looking up, watching a tree topper June 15, 1953
1 16 Timber topper cutting off top of a tree June 15, 1953
1 17 AIA attendees applauding Hap Johnson, the world’s champion tree topper June 15, 1953
1 18 Felling a 400 year old fir tree June 15, 1953
1 19 AIA attendees at demonstration of forestry machinery June 15, 1953
1 20 Trees being loaded onto logging trucks with a crowd in the background June 15, 1953
1 21 AIA attendees listening to speaker June 15, 1953

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • American Institute of Architects--Convention--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Forests and Forestry--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Industrial tours--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Logging--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Lumbering--Washington (State)--Photographs
  • Tree felling--Washington (State)--Photographs

Personal Names

  • Johnson, Hap--Photographs

Corporate Names

  • American Institute of Architects
  • Simpson Logging Company

Geographical Names

  • Mason County (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Mason Lake (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Seattle (Wash.)--Photographs
  • Shelton (Wash.)--Photographs

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photograph Albums

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington)