The Land We Cared For... A History of the Forest Service's Eastern Region

This work has been written under a 1985 contract between the USDA Forest Service and American Resources Group, Ltd., of Carbondale, Illinois. The authors had the cooperation of the Forest Service and the National Archives and Records Administration. Editorial suggestions were made by the Forest Service and Jay H. Cravens of George Banzhaf and Company.

The Eastern Region of the Forest Service as it exists today was formed in 1965, when Regions 7 and 9 were combined as Region 9. Before the combination, both Regions had histories which went back many years. Region 7, the original Eastern Region was established in 1914. It covered the northeastern states east of the Appalachian Mountains and, for a time, several southern states. The original Region 9, the Lake States Region, was formed in 1928. It was enlarged in 1930 and renamed the North Central Region in 1933. It encompassed the states of the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley and the upper Mississippi Valley.

In this study Regions 7 and 9 are treated separately before 1965. At the same time we will endeavor to deal with the work of the Forest Service in the Region as a unified effort which began soon after the turn of the 20th century.