The first library in bend, oregoncalled the bend magazine club and formed shortly after the city incorporated in 1904was a small subscription library suggested by early pioneer john h. In 1916 the shevlin hixon lumber company built a mill on the west bank of the deschutes river and brooksscanlon lumber company built the mill a complex on the east bank. It consisted of a collection of loggingcamp buildings that were moved from place to place on rail cars as logging progressed. Railroad logging in the klamath country arizona hobbies. What follows is a partial history of shevlin hixon, prepared many years ago, probably for the deschutes historical society. For the next 78 years, the mills dominated bends economy, pumping money and business into the town. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlin hixon company, 19161950. Bend was a booming lumber town in the early 1900s, and there was plenty of business to go around for a pair of rival mills. In 1950, brooksscanlon bought the holdings of rival company shevlinhixon, which shut down. Life in railroad logging camps of central oregon, bill baer. Frequently asked questions deschutes historical museum. Mar 17, 2018 in 1950, shevlinhixon was purchased by brooksscanlon because of dwindling timber supplies on their private holdings. Deschutes historical museum is launching an oral history gathering event called deschutes memories project. The book, to be published by chatham publishing company in the near future, is a brief history of the company and the various lines and a detailed motive power roster.
In addition to over 140 photographs, the book contains a concise history of every lumber company in the region that operated a railroad, a roster of its locomotives and one or more maps of its rail lines. You can see how hixon families moved over time by selecting different census years. Barber library archival collections central oregon. Brooksscanlon continued to log and mill wood, but in. Harrison was the head teacher, his wife also taught there as did mrs.
One can hike for a long time and find yourself all alone if thats what youre looking for. In 1916 the shevlinhixon lumber company built a mill on the west bank of the deschutes river and brooksscanlon lumber company built the mill a complex on the east bank. In 1956 hank pyzdrowski of bend iron works was hired to demolish the shevlin hixon mill burners. Discover fun athome offerings for families, children, fitness fans and adults alike. The industrial history of bend is inextricably tied to two developments. In 1950, shevlinhixon was purchased by brooksscanlon because of dwindling timber supplies on their private holdings.
There are many places to stop along the river and cool off. Tucked neatly between the snowcovered peaks of the cascade mountains and the inspiring high desert plateaus of central oregon, bend, oregon has evolved from a sleepy lumber town to an international mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and people in search of active and healthy vacation experiences and. By 1924, shevlin hixon alone was cutting 200 million board feet a year. The shevlin hixon company alone had more than twohundred thousand acres of land. Thomas mccann, general manager of the shevlin hixon mill, reported that his company had enough timber holdings to insure the operation of their plant for at least 30 years. Dpl railroad history in oregon and beyond deschutes public. Stay near the top attractions in bend my place hotel.
Also beginning operations in 1916, this mill bought shevlinhixon company in the 1950s and continued their operations into the 1990s. When the timber was all gone from an area, the company simply loaded the houses on railroad flatcars and moved on. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlinhixon company, 19161950 by ronald l. I went to this school when we moved to hixon in 1961 and i attended there until 1967. Joshua, shevlinhixon and brooksscanlon mills, bend, oregon history project. Brooksscanlon lumber company was a lumber products company with large sawmills and. Brubaker for the oregon journal in 1916, the shevlinhixon lumber company built a mill on the deschutes river in bend and began heavy cutting on more than 200,000 acres of companyowned ponderosa pine forest. Company towns of the pacific northwest linda carlson. The old mill district is a historic area formerly occupied by two lumber mills in bend, oregon. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlinhixon company. The shevlin hixon company was one of two competing lumber mills that now make up the old mill district, which is south of downtown bend.
Logging company town of shevlin took its residents on the. History the shevlinhixon lumber company had its roots in minnesota when the shevlin family combined forces with a banker from wisconsin named frank p. Shevlin, built by the shevlin hixon company, had the distinction of existing sequentially in at least three geographic locations in deschutes and klamath counties. Your guide to the old mill district pine ridge inn boutique. Legend has it several families living there over the years have died or suffered some other tragedy, though the only definitive story if definitive can be used with ghost stories. References books railroad logging in the klamath country. Historical literature combined with oral history interviews are used to describe camp movement and physical layout.
In 1916, the shevlinhixon lumber company built a mill on the deschutes river in bend and began heavy cutting on more than 200,000 acres of. Shevlinhixon lumber company mill in bend, oregon oregon. Shevlin was an unincorporated community in deschutes and klamath counties in the u. By 1915 two large companies, shevlinhixon and brooksscanlon.
Are you sure you want to remove logging railroads from your list. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlinhixon. For nearly ten years ive been working on a history of the heisler locomotive. In 1840 there were 23 hixon families living in ohio. Railroad logging in the klamath country by jack bowden. A number of horse drawn high wheels at a shevlin hixon landing. The old mill district incorporates the sites of two mill companies, brooksscanlon company and shevlin hixon company. During the first half of the 20th century more than two dozen of these colorful lines were pushed into the forests of klamath, deschutes, lake and jackson counties. Apr 12, 2020 history of the deschutes public library.
Shevlinhixon fire truck gets overhaul deschutes memories project. This study focuses on the social and physical conditions of railroad logging camps of the shevlinhixon company of bend, oregon, from the companys inception in 1916 until it ceased operations in 1950. Brooksscanlon and shevlin hixon opened in 1916 and were located on opposite sides of the deschutes river in bend. Note the arms are removed from the stacker and the two men are unloading the lumber. Both mills were a major part of the citys economy during much of the 20th century. Arts and crafts, backyard nature and outdoor activities, sports drills and skills, cooking, games, and more. By 1915 two large companies, shevlin hixon and brooksscanlon, announced plans to build lumber mills just south of downtown bend. Oregons wandering timber town offbeat oregon history. Shevlinhixon mill, bend, oregon oregon history project.
He grew up in small towns on both side of the oregoncalifornia border, after his father found work with southern pacific railroad in 1926. Joe kline the bulletina map of the shevlinhixon timber co. Shevlin park is certainly a sparkling gem in the woods near bend. In 20 library staff digitized the recordings of his oral history interviews and published them on youtube with gregorys permission.
Our shevlin room is named after shevlin park, a cherished bend park that is about three miles from bend. Oct 31, 2015 it was built as a mansion in 1915 for thomas mccann, the first general manager for the shevlinhixon mill. Sep 14, 2018 for more history on the shevinhixon and brooksscanlon mills, visit the old mill districts website nowadays, you will find an rei recreational equipment inc in the mill b building. My parents owned the village garage which sold petrol and did car repairs and i have fond memories of my time in hixon, always out doing something, playing in the.
Your guide to the old mill district pine ridge inn. Brooksscanlon collection tells tale of bends mill past. The club organized on february 16, 1908, and circulated books and. Shevlin was the residential offspring of the shevlinhixon lumber co. Coincidentally, county clerk mable livesay had reported problems in balancing the books. Shevlin park bend 2020 all you need to know before you go.
Brooksscanlon operated on the east side of the river, and shevlin hixon did their thing on the west bank. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlin hixon company, 19161950 by ronald l. Historical literature combined with oral history interviews are used to describe camp movement and physical layout, living accommodations, community amenities, and the kind of social life shevlin hixon logging camps offered its residents. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlinhixon company, 19161950. The bend iron works was in business from 1916 to 1956 and was located at 300 scott and 2nd street. A month later a rival company, brooksscanlon, began operations at its mill a complex on the other side of the river. Gregory published life in railroad logging camps of the shevlin hixon company, 19161950. Shevlinhixon subsequently shut down and their remaining trees were redirected toward brooksscanlons mills. He was born the oldest of eight children in jerome, idaho to leslie samuel thompson and margaret ellen thompson, nee posey. The same year, another minnesotabased company, brooksscanlon lumber company, built a competing mill on the opposite side of the river. We all know bend is a beer town, but that wasnt always the case. The first of the big mills, operated by the shevlinhixon co. History the shevlinhixon lumber company had its roots in minnesota when the.
The last railroad line for brooksscanlon was the line from bend, or to sisters. While brooksscanlon operated beyond the 1950s, over the decade the log trains gave way to log trucks and logging camps were disbanded. The shevlinhixon fire truck that used to make appearances in annual parades is getting ready for an overhaul. Frequently asked questions deschutes historical museum and. The lumber mills made up a big part of the history of this region and evidence of this industry can still be found among the shops and along the river of the old mill district today. The spurs were already being pulled up when the last train of logs left sisters camp bound for. This remarkable survey of life in the company towns of the pacific northwest and their significance to the economy of the region makes an important contribution to the social history of the west. In 1980, brooksscanlon was absorbed in a merger by diamond international. Father luke, the kkk, and the doctrine of americanism in bend. By the mid 1920s, the lumber capacity combined for both mills was one of the largest white pine lumber mills in the world. The little loggingcompany town, owned by the shevlinhixon company of bend, was fully portable.
A world war ii story of survival, resilience and redemption by laura hillen. At age 16 his uncle bob posey sent word that there was work available logging in central oregon. The shevlin family owned extensive timberlands in minnesota and oregon, and the capital that hixon brought into the combination allowed the company to prosper. The old mill district formerly housed two competing lumber mills. In 1916 the shevlinhixon lumber company built a mill on the west bank of the. United states of america new search printer friendly. The hixon family name was found in the usa, the uk, canada, and scotland between 1840 and 1920. Life in railroad logging camps of the shevlin hixon company, 19161950 ronald l. This was about 20% of all the recorded hixon s in the usa. Last fall, the museum was pleased to host the hixon family for an afternoon of shared history as the family traveled to bend to learn more about their role in the logging industry in central oregon.
Welcome to your fourth edition of mind benders, a special feature offering you the inside scoop on quirky bend history and offbeat trivia. The trestle timbers from shevlin park were remilled and used for the expansion of the bend library. They did cast parts for woodwork machinery as per the 1952 ad. A graduate of the harvard business school, she has a special interest in company towns and social histories.
Jerry werner and also provide information about bends logging and timber mill history. Shevlin park is donated by the shevlin hixon lumber company. In 1066 the lord of the manor was the bishop of chester. Miles of trails and a beautiful river running through it. Gregory oregon state university, department of anthropology, 2001 loggers 2 pages. Tucked neatly between the snowcovered peaks of the cascade mountains and the inspiring high desert plateaus of central oregon, bend, oregon has evolved from a sleepy lumber town to an international mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and people in search of active and. History in 1896 a group of lumbermen by the names of dwight f. Railroad logging in the klamath country is the fascinating story of the logging railroads of this area. Shevlinhixon and brooksscanlon mills, bend oregon history.
Deschutes county history located in the heart of the state, deschutes county is the outdoor recreation capital of oregon. With snowcapped peaks dominating the skyline to the west and the wideopen high desert extending to the east, the beauty and uniqueness of deschutes county captures the awe of locals and visitors alike. Leslie thompson obituary portland, or the oregonian. Businesses and private citizens began working with the city to meet the need for public spaces for recreation. Brooksscanlon and shevlinhixon opened in 1916 and were located on opposite sides of the deschutes river in bend. Mccloud served as the center of operations for the mccloud river lumber company. Pilot butte was gifted to the state of oregon for creation of a state park in 1926, to celebrate the life of terrance foley, general manager of bend power and light company.
The shevlinhixon mill in on the left side of this photograph, with the sprawling. The two bend mills shevlin hixon to the left and brooksscanlon to the right. An interview with lois gumpert, conducted by ronald l. By conventional definition, company towns are industrial communities, usually selfcontained, in which the company owns and maintains the land, production facilities, and buildings, including shops, stores, schools, and workers homes. The story of the struggle by lillian faderman, sweet chaos. Stay near the top attractions in bend our convenient location is near the best bend has to offer. The most hixon families were found in the usa in 1880. One was the construction into bend of the hill and harriman. During the early 20th century, both mills were counted as the largest yellow pine producers in the world, producing over 600,000 board feet of lumber a day and employing over 1,500 men and women in both mill and lumber camps. Shevlin hixon crews felled the last tree on december 12, with the last log sawn and milled on december 26. By 1901 these men had formed the brooksscanlon lumber company and started constructing other.
Imagine what they must have gone through during the constructions of this building. The brooksscanlon mill is on the far side of the deschutes river, in the background of the photo. Oregons wandering timber town the little loggingcompany town, owned by the shevlin hixon company of bend, was fully portable. This has some significance, as it represents a passing of the torch from lumber to outdoor recreation as bends primary industry. Harold frodsham photographic collection item number. Jack bowden john curtis bowden translated a lifelong love of railroads into a career with the southern pacific railroad, two books and a research collection created over 60 years. Old town historic district, bend city, deschutes county, bend. The shevlin hixon fire truck that used to make appearances in annual parades is getting ready for an overhaul. Even at the end of her long career this locomotive.
In 1922 brooksscanlon established a new, bigger mill complex upstream from mill a. Shevlin hixon was one of many companies in the pine belt region of northern california and eastern oregon to use this method to skid logs from the harvest sites to the landing. Directly across the river from the brooksscanlon mill was the shevlinhixon sawmill. On the edge of bend, the shevlin hixon company donated shevlin park to the community in 1921 as a legacy to tom shevlin. This park was donated to the bend community by the shevlin hixon company in 1920. Brooks scanlon won bends mill rights on a coin toss. Demolition of the shevlin hixon mill 1956 photo courtesy of the. Shevlin hixon company, bend, oregon, hilke stacker central oregon old photos vintage photos log saw wood mill willamette valley milling wood descriptionnotes. The towns buildings, schools, and workers houses were all specifically designed to be lifted by crane and placed on railroad flatcars, so that when the forest was depleted the. Les hopped a freight train and hitchhiked to a shevlin hixon logging camp near lapine. Shevlinhixon company, bend, oregon, hilke stacker in 2020. While there have been scores of industrial settlements and communities in oregon, there have been few planned company towns. The village assets included two ploughs, a meadow and 3 acres. Railroad logging in the klamath country it is hard to imagine an area better suited for railroad logging than the parklike pine forests of southcentral oregon, a gently rolling country where railroads could be built with a minimum of cost.
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