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 Description
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).
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 Collection
Restrictions on Access :
The collection is open to the public by appointment.
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 Information
Arrangement :
Arranged in 3 series:
Photographs
Postcards
Albums
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.
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 Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in
the collection.
Photographs
Container(s)
Description
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
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: Mill buildings and grounds --
unidentified
6 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: Mill crews in front of mill
buildings
3 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
folder:oversize
os 2
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
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: Horse-drawn flat
cars
3 photographs
Copy prints
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)
Washington Saw Company float
for Golden Potlatch parade, Seattle
1912
folder:oversize
os 1
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
Box/Folder
1/23
162: Men in cars with Washington
Saw Company banner
1912
Box/Folder
1/24
163-165: "Bicycle Tree" near Snohomish,
Washington
3 photographs3.5" 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)
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.
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.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
