This is a lavishly illustrated history of the Oregon-American Lumber
Company, during its heyday one of the most important lumber firms in the
Pacific Northwest. Operating from 1922 until its closure in 1957, the
company provides an illuminating example of the history of lumbering in
the region, showing in detail both the opportunities and problems
encountered by firms seeking to exploit the area's rich natural stands
of Douglas fir. The story is enhanced by the inclusion of 285
illustrations, most of which are previously unpublished, that depict
logging, railroading, and sawmilling activities, and 17 period-specific
maps that give the reader a unique perspective on the growth of the
company.
The lumbering industry was pivotal to America's settlement and
development, reaching its zenith in the period covered by this book,
which shows how Oregon-American's survival depended on successfully
adapting to great changes in market forces and in industry structures,
to natural disasters, and to economic crises like the Great Depression.
Essential to the company's objective of supplying lumber to markets in
the Midwest farm belt was its relationship with the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific Railroads; accordingly, the book provides much
information on the railroad networks that made timber extraction
possible.
The study is based on fifteen years of archival and on-the-ground
research and draws heavily on the extensive collection of
Oregon-American records, notably the correspondence files of Judd
Greenman, the company president who conceived and executed most of the
company's operating policies. It also includes, as sidebars, engaging
oral histories related by employees, which enrich the text and provide a
vivid contrast between management and employee viewpoints.
