| . |
| . |
| .. |
| .. |
| . |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| .. |
| .. |
| . |
| .. |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| More Info: |
| . |
While making a few final edits to the transcription I was struck by how this
early Ranger did it all. He addressed grazing issues, fire fighting, bug
control, and constructed ranger stations, fire lookouts, telephone lines and
trails. You will read how they used fire to fight fire as well as taking trips to
Dayville for the winter supply of apples and other fruits. You will read about
holding wild horses and a sawmill burning in 1914. After every entry he
logged his time and coded the purpose. Charles Congleton kept working
through the last day on the job when he completed his final journal entry in
1929. Although I never met the man, I get the sense he was quite a ranger,
community member, gentleman and family man all in one.
Terry Holtzapple,
2009 President of the Crook County Historical Society and
Archaeologist with the Ochoco National Forest.
| Journals of Charles Congleton |
| The Complete CONGLETON JOURNALS (This is large file - you will need to allow a few depending on your Internet connection speed.) |
I took a train to Shaniko, Oregon and from there took the old horse stage to
Prineville, arriving there on December 24. No mail was carried on Christmas
Day so it was necessary to lay over in Prineville until the 26 before I could
catch the mail stage to Paulina. The period from December 1904 to the spring
of 1907 was spent doing general work on the Billy Congleton ranch in Paulina
Valley and the Laughlin (The old Triangle) ranch. In April 1 1907, three or
four of the Paulina Valley ranchers signed a petition certifying as to my
general reliability and qualifications for forest ranger and recommending me
for this job in the Paulina area. Accordingly, armed with this petition, I made
application to A. S. Ireland, Forest Supervisor of the Blue Mountain West
Forest Reserve with headquarters in Prineville, Oregon.
On April 15, 1907 I was hired as a Forest Guard. There were no specific
headquarters, but Paulina was my mailing address. Read more ....
I was born, one of 12 children, on a farm at Slade, Kentucky on October
26,1884, (Apparently there was a one day discrepancy in the birth date first
given the Forest Service, since it shows October 27.) and lived on this farm
until 1904 when I set out to go west, having in mind to join my brother near
Greenland, Colorado where he was telegraph operator for the railroad.
However, after stopping off near Denver and working on a dairy farm from
June until December 20, 1904, I decided, instead, to join a cousin, Billy
Congleton, who as a rancher in the Paulina valley on upper Crooked River.
26,1884, (Apparently there was a one day discrepancy in the birth date first
given the Forest Service, since it shows October 27.) and lived on this farm
until 1904 when I set out to go west, having in mind to join my brother near
Greenland, Colorado where he was telegraph operator for the railroad.
However, after stopping off near Denver and working on a dairy farm from
June until December 20, 1904, I decided, instead, to join a cousin, Billy
Congleton, who as a rancher in the Paulina valley on upper Crooked River.
| . |
The diaries or journals of Charles
Congleton provide valuable insight into the
life of an early Forest Service Ranger. Although
you may see the entries as repetitive, you will
learn they are filled with building community
relationships and developing management
strategies. Take a minute to adjust your
perspective. Put yourself in the role of a public
land manager in 1906 for the Blue Mountain
Forest Reserves. You find yourself tackling
issues including stock grazing, fire suppression,
bug infestations, and visioning an infrastructure
for today and the years ahead.
Congleton provide valuable insight into the
life of an early Forest Service Ranger. Although
you may see the entries as repetitive, you will
learn they are filled with building community
relationships and developing management
strategies. Take a minute to adjust your
perspective. Put yourself in the role of a public
land manager in 1906 for the Blue Mountain
Forest Reserves. You find yourself tackling
issues including stock grazing, fire suppression,
bug infestations, and visioning an infrastructure
for today and the years ahead.
| Personal Reminiscence of Charles Congleton |
