Intersting place for a vacation.

[John11139]

For any of you old loggers, if any of you ever have the opportunity to be traveling in West Virgina a really intersting place to stop by is Cass, W.V. I had heard about it for over 20 years and just never had the opportunity to go by. Finnaly did. It was a huge logging operation that petered out in late 50's. They have a excellent movie (you must see it) you can watch. You can ride the old Shay locomotive up the mountain. The puffing and huffing of that old train will sure take you back in time. I think they said at one time they were turning out over one million board feet of lumber a day. These old stories are always intersting to me, as I grew up in a large lumber camp (considered large for that area, Pot Creek logging & lumber co) in northern New Mexico in the 40's 50' and went out about the same as the one in Cass. I think around 1968. I seen the hand writing on the wall in the 50's. I could see that some day they would run out of timber and the tree huggers and unions comming in. I got my first job there when I was old enough to work in the woods. When I got drafted into the Army in 61, They were pretty well finished by 65 when I got out. Settled in Ohio. Camp disbanded, (old red school house torn down) Most of the people were Arkies and Okeys. Moved to other parts of the country. Lost track of every one. Went back a few years ago to try to locate any one who worked there. It was just like it never existed. Most people I ran into never heard of it. Finally found one person (after a couple days of searching) It just happened to be one of the contractors my boss worked for. He was on his last leg in life, he remembered me, we talked for a couple of hours. It made his day to run into some one who was there also. It made my day too. A year or later he passed on and I understand some one flew over the area and dumped his ashes. As I am near that age when I also will pass on, and I reflect back in life, the memorable moments and times. Death in family, marriage, graduation of kids, being in the Army. But the one that I reflect on most is that of the life in the lumber camp. Getting up at 4:30, riding up the canyon in a old army panel truck, filled full of other loggers and the smell (back then every one took a bath once a week if you needed it or not) Loggers being dropped off at their assigned spot to cut. You could hear the chain saws start up the canyon, look out over the canyon and see the smoke from the saws. Stop during the day and listen to see if you could hear your buddies saw, if not you went to see if a tree fell on him. I can still hear Old shorty (the name of the horse I skidded with) pass gas as I headed him up the mountain to skid a log. I slept on a old fold up canvas army cot, dad picked up some where. It was used more that once as a stretcher to carry a dead man out of the woods. My kids have no idea of what I am talking about. We have lost a important part of alot of peoples past. Again if you ever get a chance to visit Cass, do it and I dont know how to do social networking on a computer, so if any one who ever worked at the Pot Creek lumber co, or up in Rio Chiquito, or Black Lake, during the 40's and 50" or know some one who did, please contact me.

 

[lly_duramax]

I live about 25 minutes from Cass, WV and it is a neat place for sure.

 

[Guido Salvage]

When I first went to Cass in 1973 the huge mill building to the right as you leave the station was still standing. When I went back about 5 years ago I found that it had been torched by an arsonist.

Cass is also the northern terminus of the Greenbrier River Trail for those that hike, bike or run (a "rails to trails" conversion). The town is now a West Virginia state park and you can rent one of the old company houses to stay in. A neat option is that you can stay overnight in a converted rail car that they leave on the top of the mountain.

Also close by is the Green Bank radio telescope site.

 

[Chris J.]

For any of you old loggers, if any of you ever have the opportunity to be traveling in West Virgina a really intersting place to stop by is Cass, W.V. I had heard about it for over 20 years and just never had the opportunity to go by. Finnaly did. It was a huge logging operation that petered out in late 50's. They have a excellent movie (you must see it) you can watch. You can ride the old Shay locomotive up the mountain. The puffing and huffing of that old train will sure take you back in time. I think they said at one time they were turning out over one million board feet of lumber a day.

These old stories are always intersting to me, as I grew up in a large lumber camp (considered large for that area, Pot Creek logging & lumber co) in northern New Mexico in the 40's 50' and went out about the same as the one in Cass. I think around 1968. I seen the hand writing on the wall in the 50's. I could see that some day they would run out of timber and the tree huggers and unions comming in. I got my first job there when I was old enough to work in the woods. When I got drafted into the Army in 61, They were pretty well finished by 65 when I got out. Settled in Ohio.

Camp disbanded, (old red school house torn down) Most of the people were Arkies and Okeys. Moved to other parts of the country. Lost track of every one. Went back a few years ago to try to locate any one who worked there. It was just like it never existed. Most people I ran into never heard of it. Finally found one person (after a couple days of searching) It just happened to be one of the contractors my boss worked for. He was on his last leg in life, he remembered me, we talked for a couple of hours. It made his day to run into some one who was there also. It made my day too. A year or later he passed on and I understand some one flew over the area and dumped his ashes.

As I am near that age when I also will pass on, and I reflect back in life, the memorable moments and times. Death in family, marriage, graduation of kids, being in the Army. But the one that I reflect on most is that of the life in the lumber camp. Getting up at 4:30, riding up the canyon in a old army panel truck, filled full of other loggers and the smell (back then every one took a bath once a week if you needed it or not) Loggers being dropped off at their assigned spot to cut. You could hear the chain saws start up the canyon, look out over the canyon and see the smoke from the saws. Stop during the day and listen to see if you could hear your buddies saw, if not you went to see if a tree fell on him.

I can still hear Old shorty (the name of the horse I skidded with) pass gas as I headed him up the mountain to skid a log. I slept on a old fold up canvas army cot, dad picked up some where. It was used more that once as a stretcher to carry a dead man out of the woods.

My kids have no idea of what I am talking about. We have lost a important part of alot of peoples past. Again if you ever get a chance to visit Cass, do it and I dont know how to do social networking on a computer, so if any one who ever worked at the Pot Creek lumber co, or up in Rio Chiquito, or Black Lake, during the 40's and 50" or know some one who did, please contact me.

I took the liberty of making your post a little more reader friendly, I hope that you don't mind.

Perhaps one of your children or grandchildren could help you set-up a Facebook account? Apparantly it's not that difficult??? I've never bothered with Facebook, but my wife did and she was contacted by several old friends.

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

 

[John11139]

I took the liberty of making your post a little more reader friendly, I hope that you don't mind.

Perhaps one of your children or grandchildren could help you set-up a Facebook account? Apparantly it's not that difficult??? I've never bothered with Facebook, but my wife did and she was contacted by several old friends.

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

Thanks for responding. We could see the Green Bank telescope from the top of the mountain the train took us up to. Wife said she would like to go again.

 

[Roanoker494]

West Virginia is full of great old "hidden treasures". There is a old mining camp on the mountain behind my grandparents home. You have to follow what is now just a small 4 wheeler trail a good two miles and you come into a abandoned town. There are, or were about five years ago, a few houses, some old equipment, a company store building and several other various buildings. Last time I was up there the "locals" had taken the place over and trashed about everything, it is sad that some folks just can't look and have to go tearing stuff up. From what I understand the mountains around there are full of stuff like this.

 

[John11139]

West Virginia is full of great old "hidden treasures". There is a old mining camp on the mountain behind my grandparents home. You have to follow what is now just a small 4 wheeler trail a good two miles and you come into a abandoned town. There are, or were about five years ago, a few houses, some old equipment, a company store building and several other various buildings. Last time I was up there the "locals" had taken the place over and trashed about everything, it is sad that some folks just can't look and have to go tearing stuff up. From what I understand the mountains around there are full of stuff like this.

Yes, is a shame our younger generations dont respect others property. My wife is from Mt. Neibo near Summersville. I took her down this last fall to Ashland and we rode the UTV trails. I can remember growing up in N.M on this one perticular mountain pass, it was pretty easy to get stranded in a snow storm. There was a cabin, unlocked, with stove, wood cut, and blankets, and shovel and axe. This was used for years and no one destoryed or bothered. Then in the early 60"s when the hippies came through, they burnt it to the ground. Like dad always said "there are some who if they cant eat it, steal it, smash it, they willl sh-- all over it then burn it to the ground if they can."

 

[eat a peach]

thanks for sharing that story. An awful lot of history is being lost by kids being " babysat" by TV . Tremendous knowledge is lost by not tapping into our elderly relatives. It's a sad truth.

 

[John11139]

thanks for sharing that story. An awful lot of history is being lost by kids being " babysat" by TV . Tremendous knowledge is lost by not tapping into our elderly relatives. It's a sad truth.

Yes I have always enjoyed talking to older people as many have stories that they will tell you, that they never tell their kids because, like you said they are "babysat" by the TV, and have no idea what you are talking about, or dont care. I know this is a "chain saw site", where we argue which is better " orange or white" . But it would be nice if some of the real old timers would jump in and share a story once in a while. I enjoyed the thread sometime ago that the fellows jumped in and talked about "going to the woods with their grandpa years ago", I also enjoyed the one about the fellow in Germany that had a wood cutting business with his dad, uncles, etc. Be careful or you will get me started, telling about how they bought our mail once a week on horse back, or the only reading material at home, I ever had acess to till around 10 yrs old was the free Montgomery ward catalog, that came in the mail free. It didnt last long because it was used in the out house, (the rich people got the Sears & Robuck). (made me mad when some one used the tool or bycycle pages) A real quick story that I have never told my kids or seldom any one else. We lived pretty far back in the mountains, Every month every one made out their grocery list and gave it to one of the lumber truck drivers that brought our groucerys from a town about 70 miles away. He bought them back in a gunney sack. We were worse than "dirt poor" In 1948 or 49 we had a real nastey winter, snowed alot and froze every thing. It got so bad they shut the mill down. Most of the people had enough money to go back to Ark. or Okla. till spring came. We had to stick it out. Nothing but flour gravey day after day. (and rationed that) One day it quit snowing and the sun came out. A huge flock of robins some way had got lost in the snow storm and had asssended to feed on the juniper berries. Do you remember in the Bible when mana fell from heaven. Well when Dad let loose with that 12 gauge. "On that day mana fell from heaven."
Remember the riddle 4 & 20 black birds baked in a pie. I'll leave it at and let you figure what we did with the robins.

 

[wampum]

The Cass railroad is in its self worth the trip.Better take a coat along if you go in the fall. It might be 65 degrees when you get on,but there might be snow at the top.

 

[John11139]

The Cass railroad is in its self worth the trip.Better take a coat along if you go in the fall. It might be 65 degrees when you get on,but there might be snow at the top.

Yes . We went in June, and took coats, but when we got to the top of the mountain, we still got cold. Others who did'nt take a coat and some in shorts really had it bad.

 

[mweba]

Great story. I also like reading the "old timer" threads.

One of my favorites. http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/4932.htm

 

[grandpatractor]

I was riding cycle down near Cass last summer and didn't know about it.
I'll be heading down that way this summer and I plan on taking a little side track to check it out. Lots of nice roads for cycling down that way.

 

[John11139]

Great story. I also like reading the "old timer" threads.

One of my favorites. http://www.arboristsite.com/chainsaw/4932.htm

Thanks for supplying that thread. I am working my way through reading it. Like a kid with a ice cream, I dont want to eat it too fast, just enjoy it. About 4 years ago we took a trip out to the N.W . Walked through some of through some of the old logged areas.