Lumber Heritage of Springfield, Oregon: 1848-1901

Carter, Liz

From introduction: "This document focuses solely on the lumber industry history and related resources of the City of Springfield, although for general community history it depends heavily on the previous city-wide studies prepared of 1991 and 1999. The introductory and general information sections of this context document are derived directly from the earlier contexts; the Historical Background and Resource Identification sections utilize the previous studies, and build on them to provide a more comprehensive look at the specific theme of lumber-industry heritage in the community. In Springfield, the lumber industry refers primarily to the milling of trees (or timber) for the use of constructing buildings and structures, although related industries such as planing mills, the manufacture of shingles, window sash and doors also clearly relate to and depend on a supply of sawn lumber. The process of felling timber and transporting it to the local mills was and is important to understanding the overall industry. However, after the initial settlement of the area, these activities and the attendant built features that supported them took place outside the bounds of the City and will therefore be discussed as peripheral to the focus of this study. The original city-wide historic context statement for the City of Springfield was completed in 1991 by Lynda Sekora of Koler/Morrison Planning Consultants. That document was followed by an updated version, prepared in 1999 by Michelle Dennis, which has served as the basis for this work. Combined, those documents addressed the history of Springfield and its historic resources from the city’s beginnings through 1955. In addition, there are several historic contexts that overlap geographically and thematically with the City of Springfield Lumber Heritage Context Statement. A statewide railroad logging context, “Draft Context Statement for Railroad Logging in Oregon,” was drafted in 1993 by Ward Tonsfeldt which identifies survey and research needs, preservation activities, and goals and priorities for the preservation of historic agricultural resources. In 1986, “The Cultural and Historic Landscapes of Lane County, Oregon” was developed. Although this document does not spell out specific preservation activities for the county, there are sections of the document that pertain to historic resources within Springfield’s urban growth boundaries, as well as lumber-related resources throughout the County that may relate directly to Springfield. The “Eugene Area Historic Context Statement,” published in 1996 also provides some contextual information on the area’s historical development, resource types, and goals and strategies for preservation. In addition, the Willamette National Forest maintains a reasonably good collection of forest history that may be useful in more detailed studies on Springfield’s milling history. As was intended with the previous context statements, information in this document is not meant to be a comprehensive historical study, but it will provide sufficient information to aid in planning efforts and decision-making with regards to historic resources related to Springfield’s lumber heritage. Its purpose is to serve as a springboard from which additional, more detailed studies can be undertaken." Project funding was provided in part by a 2014 Historic Preservation Fund grant to City of Springfield (project number OR-14-18) administered by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office (grant number P14AF00096) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Springfield, Oregon is a Certified Local Government.

Lumber Heritage of Springfield, Oregon: 1848-1901

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