Remembering Tuolumne...

By Joseph Celentano

Historical Research Committee

There are various ways to “Remember Tuolumne.” All members of the community can reflect back to the “good-ole-days” when Tuolumne Township was the focal point of activity.

One of the many ways the museum has helped to “Remember Tuolumne” is the annual West Side Lumber Company (WSLC) field trips into the Stanislaus National Forest (SNF). One of the biggest advantages of museum field trips is that you go deep into the forest with experienced hikers and knowledgeable docents. All of the museum field trips have been led by WSLC Historical Researcher and docent Art Kauppi, who has given us all a feel for living in the WSLC family camps during the operating years of the West Side.

The following is a list of the past five years of museum field trips:

Camp 24 (July 19, 2003): This camp was used as a logging camp from 1915 through 1960. It once was home for about 200 loggers and trainmen. It was noted for its unique “balloon-track,” which can still be seen, and was used for reversing the direction of the locomotives.

Camp Clavey (August 21, 2004): Camp Clavey’s first operating season was 1916. It was a reload point during the 1958-1961 seasons. It consisted of a truck repair shed, water tank, man-cabins, and family cabins, and a cookhouse for West Side employees. During this trip, Docent Tom Dahl discovered the remains of Camp 35, where the cookhouse was flattened by the heavy snows.

Camp Niagara (August 21, 2005): Camp Niagara came to life in 1957 when talk had it that the end-of-the-line Camp 45 was going to close before the 1958 season was over. As early as 1954 the camp hosted major support structures making it self-sufficient. A 72-foot long cookhouse had been constructed. The CCC also had a field-camp there. A reload area west of the campsite for transferring cut logs to rail cars was an important highlight.

Bourland Bridge (August 5, 2006): This Bridge was an engineering marvel at the time it was built in the early 1920’s. It is/was 315 feet long and 75 feet high above Bourland Creek. Due to its age (80 years) and recent storm damage, it is deteriorating.

Deadwood (August 4, 2007): Our most recent trip was to visit Deadwood. Even during its earliest days as the site for West Side Lumber Company (WSLC) Camp 16, Deadwood has occupied a place of relative obscurity in the history of the WSLC. Other than the water tank and a small telephone shack, Deadwood had no permanent structures for most of its existence. Its most distinguishing characteristic was the "wye" at the south end of the site for turning locomotives and equipment. The "scar" of this wye can be clearly observed even today. It served as a log-truck-to-train reload point. Deadwood, with its three long parallel tracks at the site, was used also as a division point during the closing years of the company. Deadwood ceased operations in 1961.

Everyone is invited to participate in the museum field trips into the Stanislaus National Forest. Bring a picnic lunch for a family-oriented fun day. Plan now to go on the 2008 field trip. Check the museum website for location and date. (RT-0807)

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