Peeling Back The Bark
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Remembering Jerry Williams (1945-2019), Forest Service Historian
By James Lewis on February 12, 2019Gerald W. Williams, a former national historian with the U.S. Forest Service and a Fellow of the Forest History Society, passed away on January 3, 2019. Among the many reasons for naming Jerry a FHS Fellow was his many significant …
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McNary, Arizona: A town on the move
By James Lewis on May 7, 2012When my wife and I moved from Washington, DC, to Durham in 2003, we only half-jokingly said we wished we could move our friends and some of our favorite restaurants and stores with us. When the Cady Lumber Corporation decided …
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Looking Back at the National Christmas Tree Tradition
By Eben Lehman on December 1, 2011Tonight, December 1st, President Barack Obama and his family will officially light the National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse south of the White House. The tree lighting ceremony dates back to 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge personally lit what was …
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American Tree Farm System Collection Open to Researchers
By Eben Lehman on August 26, 2011Recently processed with the help of graduate student intern Shaun Trujillo, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Collection is now open to researchers. The tree farm movement began in June of 1941 with the dedication of the Clemons Tree Farm …
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Helping Preserve Canada’s Forest History
By James Lewis on February 10, 2011Last week I traveled to Alliston, Ontario, to meet with the Forest History Society of Ontario and to address the Ontario Forestry Association at their 62nd annual meeting. I went in part to present the FHS Fellow Award to both …
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New Collection: American Tree Farm System Records
By James Lewis on June 22, 2010Gifford Pinchot famously wrote in Breaking New Ground, “Forestry is Tree Farming. Forestry is handling trees so that one crop follows another. To grow trees as a crop is Forestry.”
While next June marks the official 70th anniversary of …
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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 …
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Seasons Greetings!
By Eben Lehman on December 24, 2008In honor of the season, Peeling Back the Bark would like to feature a small selection of just a few of the holiday cards and greetings found in various Forest History Society archival collections. The following selected materials represent just …
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New Collection: National Fire Danger Rating System
By James Lewis on December 12, 2008A key instrument in fighting wildfires is the National Fire Danger Rating System — used to anticipate fires ahead of time by predicting the potential danger for fire in a specific geographic area. The Forest History Society Library and Archives …
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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 …
