The Clearwater Story: A History of the Clearwater National Forest

I was raised in the Clearwater country near Weippe, so I have heard tales of the Clearwater since I was a small boy. I worked on the Clearwater while going to college and I was Forest Supervisor for nine years. I have known every Supervisor of the Clearwater back to and including Major Fenn. I have always been interested in history so I collected historical facts as I went along. This book is a product of what history I have been able to learn by a lot of digging in records and talking to people during a life of nearly 80 years.

Many people have furnished information for this book. Those outside of the Forest Service who have passed away include my father, C.W. Space, my brothers, Allen and Roy, Ernest Hansen, Cully Mooers, Harry Wheeler, Henry Holleman, William and Jimmy Parsons, Ed Gaffney, Walter Sewell, and others.

Those outside the Forest Service and still living include Mr. and Mrs. Bill Harris, Frank Altmiller, Angus Wilson, Warren Bohn, and others.

Forest Service retirees still living are Louis Hartig, LaVaughn Beeman, Bud Moore, Rollo Perkins, Del Cox, Marvin Riley, Ralph Hand, and Morton Roark.

Retirees that have passed away include Albert Cochrell, Clayton Crocker, James Urquhart, Paul Wohlen, James Girard, Adolph Weholt, Jack Godwin, and W.W. White.

I had wonderful help and cooperation from the Forest Service. On the Clearwater Forest I was helped by Art Johnson (now retired), Robert Spencer (retired), Robert Adams, Ed Russell, Don Jenni, and especially Andy Arvish (also retired). The graphics were prepared by Cheri Ziebart.

In the Regional Office Judd Moore, Peyton Moncure and Beverly Ayers were very helpful.

As might be supposed, most of my information came from the files of the Forest Service. I have also taken information from the following: Journals of Lewis and Clark; General Howard's Report on the Nez Perce War; McWhorter's book, Yellow Wolf; articles by Elers Koch; John B. Leiberg's report on the Bitter Root Forest Reserve; Dean Shattuck's report of 1910; the story of the Carlin Party as told in their book, In the Heart of the Bitterroot; Sister Alfreda's, History of Idaho County; Albert Cochrell's, Nezperce Story: Early Days of the Forest Service; information to be included in Hartig's history of the Lochsa District; articles from The Lewiston Morning Tribune; and a number of old maps and letters.

To all this I have added by intimate knowledge of the Clearwater country and its people. I thank everyone for their assistance.