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RodF
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PostThu Dec 27, 2012 1:07 pm 
Thanks for generously sharing all your photos, Rich! History enriches our appreciation of the Buckhorn, of those who knew it so intimately, and left us the trails we enjoy today.
johnson37 wrote:
Hotel Grand was in Tull City, the Olympic Club at Copper City, and the Crow's Nest was at the Little River summit I believe. Do you have any pics or tales of it? The forest is so mixed in that area and there are numerous flat spots...it always makes me wonder.
There's a great photo of it in Eva Cook Taylor's Lure of the Tubal Cain. Elizabeth Righter's Cultural Resource Inventory of Olympic National Forest (USFS, 1978), volume 2, page 95 says: Crow's Nest Hotel NE 1/4, SE 1/4, Section 28, T28N R3W "Structures at the former Crow's Nest Hotel, along the Little Quilcene River Trail to the Tubal Cain Mine ca. 1902-1920, consisted of a log cabin for overnight guests, a barn for burros, and a tent roofed shelter. The Crow's Nest Hotel was located at the half-way point along the 18-mile trail to the Tubal Cain Mine. Remains of the former structures, and archeological debris related to utilization of the overnight shelter during construction and operation of the Tubal Cain Mine, may occur on the site." There's two more sites that haven't been mentioned, but are listed by Righter, v 2, p 94: Tubal Cain Mine supply house site NW 1/4, SW 1/4, Section 18, T27N R3W (Buckhorn Pass) "The site of the former Tubal Cain Mine supply house was indicated at the above-noted location by Mrs. Eva Cook Taylor (1 November 1977). The site has not been investigated to determine the nature and extent of remains which may occur there." Nearby is a cabin site: NW 1/4, NW 1/4, Section 18, T27N R3W "An additional two cabins, related to the Tubal Cain mining operation, were located on Buckhorn Mountain southwest of the Tubal Cain Mine." One can only guess that these were used during mineral exploration, before Silas Marple built the Little Quilcene Trail in 1902. They may have been as far as they could pack up the Big Quilcene until the snow melted out of Buckhorn basin. p.s. the TRS coordinates cited above appear differ by 1/2 to 1 mile from the mapped locations adjacent to the trail in Buckhorn Pass.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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RPBrown
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PostMon Dec 31, 2012 7:46 pm 
Thanks Rod! Glad you enjoy the photos. I think this is the photo you referenced from my aunt's book.....
A scan of the original....the Crow's Nest Hotel. It was also called the Halfway Hotel (for obvious reasons). Interestingly, I'm fairly certain this was taken by the Forest Service. In those days the Forest Service actually went outside and surveyed their district..:>). You can see the horse barn on the left and the cabin on the right. In this photo the burros are all loaded down with wooden boxes of dynamite. Nowadays, you can still see where the buildings stood if you know where to look. Rod, I'd be interested to know more details about the buildings mentioned in Ms. Righter's survey. SW of the mines would be in the vicinity of Buckhorn Pass. I know of only two buildings near Buckhorn Pass, one was a hunter's cabin that is gone now and another was Iron Mountain Camp, at Buckhorn Lake. It sounds to me like Righter is talking about the Tubal Cain cabins. Anyway, good stuff and thanks for sharing! Johnson, most of the origins of these place names are unfortunately lost to time. My aunt did mention that Dirty Face was named for the dry, dusty nature of that barren ridge. In those days it was freshly burnt, covered with silver snags. Picture yourself walking behind a pack string of burros on a dry, hot summer day. I'd never heard the profile comment, thanks for sharing. What we call Ribbon Creek nowadays was called Flume Creek 100 years ago. Mt. Worthington was originally called Copper Peak (or Mountain).....copper and iron being the primary ores mined, makes sense both peaks were named thusly. Anyway, glad you enjoy local history as much as I do.

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RodF
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PostTue Jan 01, 2013 1:56 pm 
RPBrown wrote:
Rod, I'd be interested to know more details about the buildings mentioned in Ms. Righter's survey. SW of the mines would be in the vicinity of Buckhorn Pass.
Yes, the map shows them as alongside the trail in Buckhorn Pass. I'll scan the map (not very useful, but it's all I've got) and post it later today. That's all I know about the supply house and cabins.
Righter (USFS 1978) v 2 p 7
Righter (USFS 1978) v 2 p 7
Key (A = archaeological site, H = historical site) A-1 Kline homestead A-2 Slab Camp Guard Station A-3 Fosner homestead A-4 Snow Creek Guard Station A-5 Turner homestead A-6 Simms homestead A-7 mining cabin site - associated with Tubal Cain? * A-8 cabin site A-9 Roy Strum cabin (packer for Tubal Cain Mine) A-10 cabin remains A-11 Tubal Cain Mine supply house site A-12 mining cabin site - Tubal Cain A-13 Crow's Nest Hotel A-14 Rainbow Camp and Guard Station H-1 Louella Guard Station H-2 Cedar Flat spur RR grade H-3 Quilcene RS (9 buildings) H-4 "Tubal Cain Mine (northern route)" * H-5 Little Quilcene Trail to Tubal Cain Mine H-6 Tubal Cain Mine Power House H-7 Tubal Cain Mine Dam H-8 McEwen's Cabin H-9 Miner's symbol on rock in Windy Lake H-10 Jack "Whiskers" Conrad's cabin H-11 Big Quilcene Trail to Tubal Cain Mine "Two cabins related to activities at the mine site were located adjacent to the trail on Buckhorn Mountain. The Tubal Cain Mine supply house also stood adjacent to the trail." * Righter claims "The northern route to the Tubal Cain Mine was in use by 1902" and indicates the Gold Creek Trail on the map. I believe this is incorrect. The Little Quilcene Trail opened in 1902. The Tubal Cain Trail (its lower section now called the Gold Creek Trail) did not appear on the 1911, 1918, 1923 or 1929 Olympic NF maps; it first appeared as a "dotted line" unimproved path on the 1930 ONF map, and as an improved trail with Gold and Silver Creek shelters on the 1933 ONF map.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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RodF
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PostTue Jan 08, 2013 10:17 am 
A later photo, which Rich referred to on page 2 of this thread
"Tull City - 1901" photo (USFS 1905)
"Tull City - 1901" photo (USFS 1905)
source: George C. Martin Collection, Olympic College

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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RPBrown
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PostThu Jan 10, 2013 10:20 pm 
Thanks for sharing Rod! I’m 99.9% certain there were no cabins as depicted at A-10 and A-11. It really makes no sense that cabins would be built near Buckhorn Pass as there were no mines near there. Also, the Big Quil trail was only used by the original prospectors for Tubal Cain as well Ed Brown. Ed had several mines high on the hillside above Shelter Rock. After the Mines trail was punched in on or about 1903 Ed went in via the Little Quil. Rod, you are correct about the Gold Creek Trail. That was never used by the miners as it was built quite a few years later. I have no idea what cabin is depicted at A-7. McEwan’s Cabin at H-8 was well known and used by many hunters over the years. Lloyd Beebe (trainer for Disney) makes mention of staying there while collecting cougar kits for the Olympic Game Farm. The cabin site is still easy to see. A-10 was Doc Lynch’s cabin. According to a relative who saw it in the 1940s it was one of the first cabins built in the Olympics, probably in the late 1800’s. The Forest Service burnt it up many years ago. It’s easy to see the former cabin site. When it was built there area was wide open, freshly burnt. Nowadays the site is in big timber. The mining symbol at H-9 is really hard to see today. I remember making out the crossed symbols and “1878” quite a few years ago but it was really hard to see. There were two cabins at Roy Creek (A-9). Rod, keep me honest here…but I’m pretty certain Roy Creek was named for Roy Strum. A lot of people think “Roy” was just a shortened version of “Royal” (area the creek drains) but I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. Conspicuously absent on the map is the small Last Water Cabin. I have a photo of it floating around somewhere. Also absent is Doc Mabrey's cabin up Heather Creek, although that came much later. It's been gone for quite a few years. Jack “Whiskers” Conrad (H-10) was a very notable character in early Quilcene history. He built his cabin at Sink Lake to trap marten and chase cougars. I think he built the cabin in the late 20’s and spent a lot of time living in it. My aunt knew him very well and said he mainly lived in the mountains to stay away from booze. As the story goes, whenever he came into Quil for supplies he’d be pretty intoxicated the whole time. A cousin found one of his marten traps in the big timber around Sink Lake many years ago with the brass tag “Conrad”. Whisker’s led the Army troops to the B-18 crash on Mt. Constance September of 1941. They went in via Tunnel Creek, up near Bull Elk Pass. A real local legend that guy! Here’s a 1940 picture of Whiskers at his cabin.
Here’s a 1941 shot of “Whisker’s Inn”.
Here’s the same photo Rod posted, Tull City. This is looking towards Tull Pass. The Cook House is on the right and Hotel Grand on the left. Funny how these photos travel so much.
For comparison, here's what Tull looked like in the 1950's. The Hotel Grand was already gone. The Cook House (right) has "Hotel" burned into the logs. I hadn't noticed that before. Those alpines grow back quick!

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RodF
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PostSat Jan 12, 2013 12:38 pm 
Wonderful photos, Rich! Your photos of Jack "Whiskers" Conrad and his place are especially appreciated.
RPBrown wrote:
I’m 99.9% certain there were no cabins as depicted at A-10 and A-11. It really makes no sense that cabins would be built near Buckhorn Pass as there were no mines near there. Also, the Big Quil trail was only used by the original prospectors for Tubal Cain as well Ed Brown.
Righter cites as her source your aunt, Eva Cook Taylor (orally, 4 Nov. 1977). Did she leave any notes or maps? She may have left some papers in Jeffco Historical Society.
In Gods & Goblins, Smitty Parratt wrote:
Royal Creek, Lake - It is thought that the source of these two landmarks' names was G. A. Whitehead who was Quilcene District USFS ranger early in this century. Whitehead, Roy Strom (also a USFS employee) and another friend whose name is not known reportedly hiked up Milk Creek and over into this basin in 1917, becoming among the first white men to see it. The men agreed that Royal Creek lay in the finest, unblemished alpine basin they had ever seen and so it is thought they arbitrarily assigned the names Royal Basin and Royal Lake at that time. There is also evidence that the men applied a name to the stream found here, calling it Roy Creek for Roy Strom, a member of the party. Mapmakers, however, later misspelled it 'Royal Creek.' sources: Robert Hitchman 'Washington State Places Name Information', Wash. State Historical Society; Robert Worthington, Quilcene, letters 1980-1.
"Roy Creek" is shown on all the 1920s-40s maps. "Roy Cr. Cabin" (Roy Strum's cabin) is shown as a shelter with USFS fire-reporting telephone on the 1930-40s maps (the telephone line extended up to Boulder Shelter). Roy Creek is first renamed Royal Creek on the 1946 USGS Tyler Peak sectional. USFS first adopts the renaming on its 1953 ONF map.
RPBrown wrote:
Also absent is Doc Mabrey's cabin up Heather Creek, although that came much later. It's been gone for quite a few years.
Where was that, Rich? Old maps show a couple other cabins, one on the west bank of Heather below Home Creek, and one on the northeast bank of Home Creek just above Heather Creek, that I'd like to go look for. There's also ambiguity in USFS maps as to the location of Cedar Springs Camp... do you know of it?

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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RPBrown
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PostSun Jan 13, 2013 8:48 pm 
Quote:
Righter cites as her source your aunt, Eva Cook Taylor (orally, 4 Nov. 1977). Did she leave any notes or maps? She may have left some papers in Jeffco Historical Society.
I talked with her a lot about the subject over the years and never heard her mention the cabins in question. I've seen her notes but again, nothing about the cabins. Good point, there might be something at the JCHS.
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Where was that, Rich? Old maps show a couple other cabins, one on the west bank of Heather below Home Creek, and one on the northeast bank of Home Creek just above Heather Creek, that I'd like to go look for.
Mabrey's was right on the Park boundary on Heather Creek, on the edge of a big brush patch. I was up there 7 or 8 years ago and had a hard time finding the cabin site. Mabrey used the cabin to hunt goats on Fribaca (or Fricaba, whatever the hell people call it) as I recall. The cabin on the west bank of Heather was Lynch's. After crossing the creek you'll come to a spot where many of the living standing trees are fire scarred. The cabin sat there. Must have been one hell of a bonfire when they burnt it up. I've never heard of the cabin on Home Creek. Sounds like it might be near the Park boundary too?
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There's also ambiguity in USFS maps as to the location of Cedar Springs Camp... do you know of it?
Sure. I'll add the disclaimer that I've always been passing through, so haven't spent any time camped there, nor have I ever seen anyone camped there. It's maybe 1 or 2 miles past Boulder Shelter heading toward's Home Lake. The trail goes along a flat bench or swale for quite a distance and you'll come to a nice grove of Yellow Cedar (hence, "Cedar Springs"). You'll see many very old stumps along the right side of the trail. The camp is in that area. Looks like an ancient hunting camp and again, very close to the Park boundary. Here's a photo of my beloved auntie at the same... "Me at Cedar Springs, awful wet!"
A long haul in those days. She visited Charlia and exited down Pass Creek to the Dose, which she recommended I never do! She was only 18 when this was taken and was solo from this point. She couldn't talk her boyfriend (at the time) into taking a "shortcut" down Pass Creek. He ended up taking the safe route back out the Big Quil, the way they had come in. Her map was long since rendered useless due to the pouring rain. I think this photo was taken just past Cedar Springs.

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PostMon Jan 14, 2013 6:51 am 
Even though there's a key provided with that map, the scale seems slightly off for the areas around Tubal Cain. It also appears, at least to me, that A-11 and 12 as well as Buckhorn Pass might be misplaced on the map and the size of the font is misleading as well. Just a thought and it allows both Taylor and Righter to be correct.
The 1950s photo of Tull City is beautiful on so many levels and an interesting comparison to the shot on page 1. I hate to ask since you have provided us with so much treasure already but please post any more photos you might have from the 1950s (or any other decade) trip to the area. The perspective of timeline is part of what's so great about this thread. My guess is this is the only known surviving photo of the Crow's Nest Hotel:
Were you ever able to visit while it was standing? The cabin behind the barn has canvas sides and canvas under the gable, I wonder if it was actually the tent-roofed shelter in Righter's report. The name of this site has such a ring to it, like out of a Du Mas novel, and I'm driven with fascination of it. Great background and pics on Jack Conrad, still a legendary name on the OP. A true mountain-man of days gone by. Your aunt was amazing, as an adventuress and as historian. Dressed for action, she clearly looks determined to keep going. Please tell us more about her!

"Life favors the prepared." - Edna Mode
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PostSat Jan 26, 2013 11:15 am 
I write Jefferson County history articles for the Peninsula Daily News and am currently looking at Tubal Cain since it hasn't been done in several years. I am talking to a couple of JC folks that spent a lot of time hiking up there as high schoolers. I would like to know if you're interested in talking to me about your own adventures up to Tubal Cain. Pam

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PostSun Jan 27, 2013 8:42 pm 
Johnson, Take a close look at the Crow’s Nest photo and you’ll see the building in the background is still under construction; only about half the shakes are on the roof and walls. I’d guess the burlap or canvas visible was just temporary until the cabin was complete. I’m positive there were only two structures at the Crow’s Nest as I’ve seen the foundations where both buildings stood. The buildings themselves disappeared fairly quickly and were gone long before my time. The third “tent-roofed structure” mentioned by the USFS I’d say didn’t exist, at least what I think they might be referring to. What old timers called “half-cabins” were common in the old days, generally consisting of logs at the base with a canvas roof. These structures were MUCH easier to construct (than a full cabin) and still provided good shelter. However, like a cabin, they still leave evidence where they stood. Appreciate the nice comments. My aunt was quite a lady. As I’ve said, she was the expert on Tubal Cain and the Olympics in general. Alright, here’s more Tubal Cain originals… Photo 1: “Tull City camp packer leaving our cook standing near the cook house.”
This is looking downstream. The B-17 debris (still 50 years in the future) and bog is on the right. Cook House on the left and Hotel Grand on the right. Photo 2: “Taken in June 1905 the East side of Iron Mountain showing the tunnel.”
This is the main tunnel in Tull Canyon. Photo 3: “May the 9th 1905 A human pack train at the pass”.
This is Summit, just above the Crow’s Nest. Notice all the dead snags. In the photo is Silas Marple, Romey (Romeo) Skiles, Frank Palmer (packer) and Lee Ross. Lee Ross was the original owner of the Katy Claim (later Tull City) and I’m sure made a nice little profit when he sold out to Frank Hanford. Rod, I got to thinking about Ms. Righter's comments. There were at least 11 buildings at Copper City. To be clear, there were really two Copper Cities. The original was built in 1904-1905 and the second was built in 1911 after an avalanche totally wiped out the original. Anyway, there were also a few outlying storage buildings visible in photos and I'd bet that is where the confusion started for Righter during the interview with my aunt. Pam, sure anytime.

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PostTue Jan 29, 2013 1:42 pm 
Here's a much better version of a photo I already posted. This is from the original negative. Off to the side you can see a couple of axes and wheelbarrow. Rich

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PostFri Jun 21, 2013 7:43 pm 
Dick Bryant shares two photos taken in 1955, when he was on USFS trail crew, and promises more are coming.
Tull City 1955 by Dick Bryant
Tull City 1955 by Dick Bryant
Mount Townsend Lookout 1955 by Dick Bryant
Mount Townsend Lookout 1955 by Dick Bryant
NWlurker Lisa shared several photos taken last week of the Tubal Cain powerhouse on Silver Creek correction: Copper Creek.
Tubal Cain hydropower house by Lisa
Tubal Cain hydropower house by Lisa
Tubal Cain hydropower by Lisa
Tubal Cain hydropower by Lisa

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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IanB
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PostSat Jun 22, 2013 9:01 am 
Thanks to Dick and Lisa for the photos. up.gif Thanks Rod, for posting. Any chance that you or Lisa can provide directions to get to the powerhouse? I didn't realize it was all the way down on Silver Creek.

"Forget gaining a little knowledge about a lot and strive to learn a lot about a little." - Harvey Manning
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PostSat Jun 22, 2013 9:46 am 
Good question IanB.

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RodF
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PostSat Jun 22, 2013 11:08 am 
Oops, my mistake, the powerhouse is on Copper Creek, of course. Lisa says it's downstream/north about 0.4 mile from the mine, as suggested on the map posted earlier, and some sections of iron pipe still lie along the route. Dick Bryant also said that in 1955, the pneumatic mining drills were still lying abandoned on the ground at the tunnel entrance.

"of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt" - John Muir "the wild is not the opposite of cultivated. It is the opposite of the captivated” - Vandana Shiva
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