Hemlock Garage Salvage
In the spring of 2010, the Middle Fork Ranger District of the Willamette National Forest gave the SMS an opportunity to salvage two abandoned garages at the old USFS Hemlock Compound near Westfir, Oregon.
At left: Carl Munz (Consulting Architect and SMS Heritage Preservation Team Member since 1992) at the Hemlock site's eastmost garage in 2010.
Originally constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in about 1930, the two garages were on the agency's list for disposal. Were it not for the openness of the District and the Forest toward a more positive outcome, it is likely both structures would have simply been demolished.
As with the Cascadia Pole Barn Salvage Project, we must again our gratitude to Cathy Lindberg, Heritage Program Manager for the Forest, for vital assistance in facilitating this project! Dick Davis and Cheron Ferland were also instrumental at the District level, and were also a pleasure to work with! This partnership provided an opportunity to recycle a significant amount of historic fabic.
From the SMS side, this salvage project was led primarily by Tim Nidever and Bill Joy (week days), and Don Allen III (weekends).
At right: Bill Joy works to reveal the origial lap-siding,
preserved
beneath a layer of cedar shingles that
was likely added in the late
1950s.
Additional salvage projects are planned with the Middle Fork Ranger District in 2011.
At left: a bucket of removed nails represents tens of hours of work by SMS volunteers. The bucket is sitting atop bundles of salvaged high grade lumber salvaged form the Hemlock garages that will be re-used in other historic preservation projects.