Construction crew building skid road, Wynooche Timber Company, near Montesano, ca 1921 (KINSEY 1616)

Caption on image: Wynooche Timber Co. Kinsey Photo. No. 51 PH Coll 516.5189The Wynooche Timber Company began operations ca. 1913 with headquarters in Hoquiam and logging operations in Montesano. It was named for Wynooche Valley in northeast Grays Harbor County. Wynooche Timber Company was bought out by Schafer Brothers Logging Company ca. 1927. Montesano, the county seat of Grays Harbor County, is eight miles east of Aberdeen on the Chehalis River near the mouth of Wynooche River in central Grays Harbor County. In 1862, the name Mount Zion was suggested by the wife of the first settler, J. L. Scammon. Another pioneer, Samuel James, suggested the present name from the Spanish monte or mountain, and sano or health. Local authorities thought Sam's name had more meaning. The skid road, or skidway, was constructed of ten foot logs, 10 to 20 inches in diameter and the logs were spaced 9 feet apart and partly buried in the ground to make them rigid. The tip of the skids were adzed to form a trough for the logs to ride in and when they became worn down a hardwood block, called a glutt, was mortised into the worn part.
Subjects (LCTGM): Skid roads--Washington (State); Lumber industry--Washington (State); Loggers; Wynooche Timber Company--People--Washington (State); Grays Harbor County (Wash.)