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First Lumber Company
The first lumber mill in the North American West was started by Hudson's Bay Company at Fort Vancouver, operated by Hawaiian labor. -
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Year of event
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Hudson Bay Expantion
Hudson Bay's company establishes post at Fort Nisqually, near present-day Olympia, and they expanded their business as it grew. -
Demand Increase
Gold discovered near Sacramento, California; subsequent boom in San Francisco and Sacramento increases demand for Northwest timber. -
The Creation of Territories
Washington Territory established; first game protection laws passed. Pope and Talbot build first major sawmill on Puget Sound at Port Gamble. Henry Yesler builds a steam-powered lumber mill just south of Seattle. -
Transcontinental Railroad
First transcontinental railroad completed to San Francisco Bay area. This allowed for the transportation of lumber across America. -
Important Invention
Donkey engine invented, transforms Northwest logging. This made logging more efficient. -
Pacific Northwest Officially Becomes Home of the Timber Industry
Frederick Weyerhaeuser moves lumbering operations to the Pacific Northwest, opening his "Sawdust Empire." -
Creation of the United States Forest Service.
The creation of the United States Forest Service helped to protect forests and preserve trees, slowing down the timber industry. -
The Great Fire of 1910
"Big Blowup" fire burns nearly 3 million acres in northern Idaho and western Montana, helps to set federal forest fire policy for the next seventy-five years. This took away lots of the materials needed for logging, such as trees. -
World War I
U.S. enters World War I. Shipbuilding in Portland and Seattle booms, while logging halts. -
Fires of 1930
Bad fire year in Washington; 131,745 acres burned, many areas of forests were destroyed. -
Tillamook Burn
“Tillamook Burn” forest fire in Oregon destroys 240,000 acres of forested land. -
Olympic National Park Was Created
The Olympic National Park established, taking away logging areas for timber companies. -
Wilderness Act
Congress passes the Wilderness Act, slowing down logging once more while protecting forests. -
Environmental Protection Agency
Congress establishes Environmental Protection Agency. -
Earth Day
First Earth Day launched by Senator Gaylord Nelson and Dennis Hayes to raise awareness about environmental issues. -
Natural Area Preserves Bill
State legislature passes Natural Area Preserves Bill. -
Spruce Budworm
Severe epidemic of spruce budworm along east slope of the Cascades. -
Mt. St. Helens
Eruption of Mt. St. Helens in southern Washington results in ash clouds and severe flooding, halting logging. -
Oak Death
Reports of Northwest Douglas fir trees infected with sudden oak death, a destructive invasive fungus. U.S. Forest Service officials declare summer of 2002 one of the worst fires seasons on record for the Pacific Northwest.
