Crew with Simpson Logging Company's Baldwin locomotive 9, camp 1, Mason County, ca 1924 (KINSEY 1688)

Caption on image: Camp #1, Simpson Log. Co. C.K. Kinsey Photo, Seattle. No. 689
PH Coll 516.4004
Sol G. Simpson and his family moved to Mason County in 1887, where Simpson worked laying ties and rails for the Port Blakely Mill Company's logging railroad. He formed S. G. Simpson Company in Matlock in 1890. Three of Simpson's brothers joined him in Mason County, and two of them worked for him. Simpson Logging Company opened its first sawmill, the Reed Mill, at Shelton in 1925. Numerous other mills and logging operations along the West Coast have been acquired by Simpson over the years. [Source: James, David. Grisdale: Last of the Logging Camp. Fairfield, Washington: Ye Galleon Press, 1986.]

Camp no. 1 was in existence between 1918 and 1929 and was located on the Homischer ranch between Dry Bed Creek and Decker Creek south of Frisken Wye in Mason County. Bunkhouses, offices and cookhouse had electric lights, but family homes burned kerosene or gasoline in Aladdin lamps.

The shop number on this locomotive appears to be 65079.


Subjects (LCTGM): Logs; Railroad locomotives--Washington (State); Railroad tracks--Washington (State); Lumber industry--Washington (State); Simpson Logging Company--People--Washington (State); Simpson Logging Company--Equipment & supplies--Washington (State); Mason County (Wash.)
Subjects (LCSH): Baldwin locomotives; Locomotive engineers--Washington (State)--Mason County; Locomotive firemen--Washington (State)--Mason County