Buildings & Sites
Logging History Display
Photo by Barb Justice
Logging History Display: 100 block of Rainier Boulevard SE, See
Map
The logging display at the City of Issaquah's "Preservation Park"
was created over the course of the 1990's by many volunteers, and is maintained
by the Issaquah Historical Society.
At the center of the display is a "road engine", which were used
throughout the area in the late 1800's and early 1900's to skid logs long
distances (up to a mile!) toward a pole at which they would be loaded on trucks
or rail cars. The engines were commonly called "donkey
engines" because they did work that had previously been done by
animals, such as mules and oxen.
Puget Sound Iron and Steel Works Road Engine
Photo by Barb Justice
The road engine displayed was discovered in 1987 by former Issaquah
Historical Society chairman Greg Spranger and then-councilman Rowan Hinds on
Weyerhaeuser land southeast of Enumclaw. Extracting it from the surrounding
forest and bringing it to Issaquah was a major effort - which took four
years. The engine was built somewhere between 1895 and 1910 by Puget Sound
Iron and Steel Works in Tacoma.
Photo
by Greg Spranger
Historical Society member Dave Smith, Rod Hyde of Marenakos Rock Center,
former Mayor Rowan Hinds and the late Ted Cook Jr. pose for former historical
society chairman Greg Spranger in 1993 on Weyerhaeuser property with the
abandoned steam donkey, which was brought to Issaquah and restored
August 1999 photo by David Bangs
In August 1999, a plaque was installed dedicating the display to the late Ted Cook
Jr., "a man who fully realized the need to preserve this part of Issaquah
history." Ted was instrumental in saving and restoring the steam donkey and in
persuading the city to allow it to be located on downtown city property.
Pictured here are Eric Erickson (holding the plaque) along with Ted Cook Jr's
wife and son.
Red Cedar Log On Track Car
Photo by Barb Justice
This red cedar log was
typical of the trees that were cleared from the Issaquah area.
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