History of the Rogue River National Forest, 1893-1932

History of the Rogue River National Forest
Volume 1 — 1893-1932

PREFACE

This Forest history has been compiled from numerous records, diaries, reports, personal contacts and many other sources. No doubt it contains some mistakes. As these are discovered, they will be corrected, but in most cases, verbal statements have been checked for authenticity so as to avoid too many errors.

Very few official records were available up to and including 1916. Sincere appreciation is expressed to the numerous persons who supplied information and events to make this write-up more complete.

They are too numerous to mention, but particular acknowledgement is made to the following personnel: John D. Holst, Gold Hill; John E. Gribble, Medford; William L. Jones, Medford; Bert A. Nason, Prospect (now deceased); Floyd A. Murray, Medford; Melvin L. Merritt, Portland (now deceased); Martin L. Erickson, South Dakota; Janie V. Smith, Medford; Horace G. Whitney, Corvallis; Mrs. S. C.Bartrum, Medford; J. J. Simmerville, San Jose.

These people were most helpful in filling in some of the details where they were lacking in reports and in furnishing items of a more personal nature. They also helped in identifying people in many of the early day pictures.

Special acknowledgement is also made to Mrs. Jean Lomax, Ashland, Oregon. She devoted many hours on her own time as well as official time in compiling the early day history of Southern Oregon as well as many other details and events as a result of her research in the files of the Ashland Daily Tidings and the Jacksonville Museum. She did the entire typing job and selected many of the pictures included herein and, by her interest, has made the compiling of this history a worthwhile project.

Mrs. Shirley Asher, also of Ashland, reviewed diaries of the permanent force from 1928 through 1940 and furnished much information on the organization during that period.

This volume of the Rogue River National Forest history chronicles the advances up to about July 1, 1932. On July 9, the Crater National Forest was officially proclaimed the Rogue River National Forest. The emergency work programs, including ERA, WPA, CCC, were all soon to become a part of the Forest program.

Many of the retired persons who helped compile this Forest history have requested a copy of it for their own files. It was therefore decided to break the entire history into two volumes. This Volume, Number 1, is an effort to bring to a close the research to the date mentioned above and to make copies available for all interested persons.

This has been a fascinating job which has been done mostly on my own time on weekends and evenings. I hope it serves its purpose to put down for perpetuity some of the events which make up the early day happenings on the Forest.

I hope also it is an interesting treatise and if it has served these purposes, the time and effort devoted to its preparation has been well rewarded.

— Carroll E. Brown

Organization Chart
1898-1932