For many communities in the American West, the timber industry was an important part of the local economy. The timber industry included logging—the harvesting of the trees—as well as the mills that converted the logs into lumber. Many community history museums feature displays on the timber industry. Some of these displays are shown below.
Miller Lumber Sawmill, Brooks, Oregon
High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon
According to the display:
“Did you notice the cylinder on top of the arch? It is part of the hydraulic system which was connected to the tractor which pulled the wheels. The chained logs were raised and lowered by the cylinder, to drag on the ground or swing clear as needed.”
According to the display:
“Rugged and dependable, many track-type tractors such as this one worked in the forests following World War I. Loggers liked these ‘Cats’ because of their power and reliability. They had to be started by placing a long bar into a hole in the flywheel and cranking the engine by hand—no easy matter on a frozen morning!”
Washington State Historical Museum, Tacoma, Washington
Museum of North Idaho, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Swan Valley Historical Museum, Condon, Montana
Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Missoula, Montana
Fort Steele Heritage Village, British Columbia
San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands, California
North Lincoln County Historical Museum, Lincoln City, Oregon
Heritage Museum, Libby, Montana
Renton History Museum, Renton, Washington
Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, Tillamook, Oregon
Museums 201
In Museums 201, photo tours from museum display in different museums are shown. More from this series:
Museums 201: Ancient Beds (photo diary)
Museums 201: Model railroad dioramas (photo diary)
Museums 201: Wood-fired kitchen ranges (photo diary)
Museums 201: Washing machines (photo diary)
Museums 201: Electric ranges and refrigerators (photo diary)
Museums 201: Antique farming equipment (photo diary)
Museums 201: Wood-fired heating stoves (photo diary)
Museums 201: The blacksmith shop (photo diary)