Peeling Back The Bark
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August 5, 1949: Mann Gulch Tragedy
By Eben Lehman on August 5, 2009On this date 60 years ago, the Mann Gulch fire in Montana’s Helena National Forest was first spotted. This devastating wildfire would eventually claim the lives of 12 U.S. Forest Service smokejumpers and one fire guard, as well as burn close to 5,000 acres of timber and grasslands. The tragic events surrounding this fire ensure…
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July 20, 1822: "Father of American Forestry" Born
By Eben Lehman on July 20, 2009On this date in 1822, Franklin B. Hough was born on the western edge of the Adirondack Mountains in Lewis County, New York. Hough would become the first forestry agent of the U.S. government, the first chief of the Division of Forestry, and one of the most influential figures in early American forestry. Gifford Pinchot…
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May 31, 1940: Keeping it Green
By Eben Lehman on May 31, 2009On this date in 1940, Washington Governor Clarence D. Martin issued an influential proclamation appealing for the positive action by all of Washington’s citizens in the prevention of wildfires. This public proclamation would directly lead to the creation of the Keep Washington Green Association, an organization whose model was eventually copied by states throughout the…
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April 22, 1832: J. Sterling Morton, Father of Arbor Day, is Born
By Eben Lehman on April 22, 2009“There is no aristocracy in trees. They are not haughty. They will thrive near the humblest cabin on our fertile prairies, just as well and become just as refreshing to the eye and as fruitful as they will in the shadow of a king’s palace.” — J. Sterling Morton Before there was Earth Day, there…
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April 15, 1920: Greeley Named Forest Service Chief
By James Lewis on April 15, 2009When William B. Greeley was appointed as the third chief of the U.S. Forest Service on April 15, 1920, he was already embroiled in a fight over the future of American forestry and private forests. Greeley’s lengthy and distinguished Forest Service career is largely defined by a controversy that — once it was resolved —…
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Add One Northern Spotted Owl, Stir in Controversy, and Bring to a Boil
By James Lewis on March 7, 2009On March 7, 1991, U.S. District Court Judge William Dwyer blocked logging of all old-growth trees on national forests in the Pacific Northwest that were habitat for the northern spotted owl to protect the animal. Ruling in favor of the National Audubon Society and the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Dwyer declared the U.S. Forest…
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February 22, 1897: Cleveland Celebrates Washington by Foreshadowing Roosevelt
By James Lewis on February 22, 2009On this day in 1897, President Grover Cleveland signed an executive order creating the Washington Birthday Reserves. He proclaimed 13 new or expanded forest reserves in the western United States, totaling some 21 million acres; it brought the total acreage in the forest reserve system (the predecessor to the National Forest System) to just under…
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January 31, 1898: International Paper Incorporated
By James Lewis on January 31, 2009January 31st is more than just Super Bowl Saturday here in the U.S. It’s also the anniversary of the founding of International Paper.* On this day in 1898, fourteen paper companies came together and incorporated as International Paper (IP). Capitalized at almost $40 million dollars, IP included seventeen pulp and paper mills operating 101 paper…
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January 29, 1935: And the Schlich Award Goes to…
By Eben Lehman on January 29, 2009On this day in 1935, the Society of American Foresters presented its first-ever award, the Sir William Schlich Memorial Award Medal, to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt was recognized for his “interest and effective work for forest conservation,” with specific acclamation given for his establishment of the Civilian Conservation Corps. The award was named for…
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January 21, 1892: Hoo-Hoo International, Not Your Father’s Skull and Bones
By Amanda T. Ross on January 21, 2009There are few things I desire more in this world than to unmask secret societies and to find derivations of “concatenate” in unexpected places. Imagine my delight when I learned that FHS holds a small collection of records for the International Concatenated Order of Hoo-Hoo. On this day in 1892, the International Concatenated Order of…
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January 7, 1851: It's your day, Bernhard Fernow!
By James Lewis on January 7, 2009Bernhard Fernow (FHS Archives) Happy birthday, Bernie! You helped bring forest management and forestry education to the United States and Canada, and we are forever grateful! Have an extra piece of cake on us! Born in Prussia on January 7, 1851, Bernhard Eduard Fernow trained for both law and forestry. He served in the Prussian…
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December 1, 1874: A [Red] Star is Born
By Amanda T. Ross on December 1, 2008On this day in 1874, Raphael Zon was born in Simbirsk, Russia. From Russian radical to New World immigrant, Zon achieved national and international influence as a forest researcher. Gifford Pinchot even proclaimed, “Mr. Zon is my old and valued friend. . . There is no higher authority in forestry in America.” In Simbirsk, Zon…
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November 30, 1900: Society of American Foresters Founded
By Amanda T. Ross on November 30, 2008On this day in history, leading conservationist Gifford Pinchot and six other foresters founded the Society of American Foresters in Washington, D.C. In its 108-year history, the Society has grown to become the largest professional organization for foresters in the world. Currently representing more than 15,000 forestry professionals and students working in private industry, educational…
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November 26, 1908: The Biltmore Forest Fair
By Eben Lehman on November 26, 2008One hundred years ago today, Dr. Carl Schenck, resident forester at George W. Vanderbilt’s Biltmore Estate and founder of the Biltmore Forest School, opened a three-day forestry fair on the Biltmore grounds. At a time when forestry work in America was still very much in its infancy, this unique fair was designed by Schenck to…
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October 27, 1858: Happy Birthday, Teddy Roosevelt!
By James Lewis on October 27, 2008Today marks the 150th birthday of Theodore Roosevelt. Considered one of our greatest presidents, it’s not for nothing that he’s on Mount Rushmore and still widely admired around the world. He packed a lot of living into his sixty years. An avid outdoorsman and naturalist, you can add cowboy, cattle rancher, sheriff, big-game hunter, war…
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October 20, 1964: Cradle of Forestry Dedication Ceremony
By Amanda T. Ross on October 20, 2008On this day in 1964, foresters, government officials, and others gathered near Asheville, North Carolina, at the site of the historic Biltmore Forest School. At this joint annual meeting of the American Forestry Association and the North Carolina Forestry Association, officials laid the cornerstone of the U.S. Forest Service Visitor Information Center, dedicating the Cradle…
