BLOG   |   QUICK LINKS   |   READ OUR QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Siuslaw Pioneer Museum
Support Now

A STEAM DONKEY IN THE WOODS

Mar 29, 2025 | Oral History - Stories, Posts

(Part 2 of 2), (View Part 1)

From early on, John Barnes developed a connection with the forest, cultural heritage and history. One could say it was in his DNA – passed down from a grandfather who homesteaded, and a father who was a brush picker and well-known hunter and fishing guide in the Pacific Northwest. John maintained his early interests and graduated with a degree in Forestry from Oregon State University, followed by studies at Penn State in the field of Forestry, Education and Interpretation. He went on to work for Idaho State Parks and the Oregon Department of Forestry.
John Barnes

LOGGING SITE FIRE

Within a span of 18 years, an estimated 355,000 acres of timberland were burned by a series of fires that spread across parts of the Oregon Coastal Range (1933, 1939, 1945, 1951). The Salmonberry and Wilson River fires occurred about the same time in 1945 and together burned 180,000 acres.

Oregon Governor Earl views Salmonberry burn
The Salmonberry fire swept through a remote site actively logged by the Western Oregon Logging Company (south of the Sunset Rest Area on HWY 26). Fueled by a strong wind, the fire spread quickly, prompting loggers to evacuate immediately. Years later, evidence of wooden box cars, which had served as bunk houses for the crew’s sleeping quarters, and metal bed springs from mattresses were all that remained. Everything burned at the logging site except for metal equipment, such as the rail car frames. In the haste to escape the fire, the steam donkey, an essential piece of equipment for the logging site, was abandoned. Equipped as a steam-powered yarder, the donkey was used to pull, lift, and move logs onto rail cars. It played a significant and historical role in contributing to the rise of the timber industry in the Pacific Northwest.

PROJECT FOR TILLAMOOK FOREST CENTER

The heart of this story began in 2001 with a tale that initially sounded ‘too good to be true’, but yet too intriguing not to pursue. John Barnes served on the project task force for the Forest Center’s development and as the agency’s cultural resource coordinator. He was approached one day by Merv Johnson, an elk hunting old timer, who claimed to have discovered an abandoned steam donkey “in perfect condition” and offered to show the site to John and 2 others. According to Merv, the steam donkey was located above the Salmonberry River canyon on the north side, with no road access, half way between the summit of the coast range and the town of Wheeler at Nehalem Bay. Following several hours of hiking with Merv, they all began questioning whether they were even on the right path. And then it was spotted. John claims they were all surprised to see the steam donkey was indeed intact, although a bit rusty. However, with no road access, how does one retrieve a steam donkey from the woods and transport it to the Tillamook Forest Center? John realized this would be no ordinary project.

Nonetheless, the prospect of retrieving such a historical relic was appealing. John began making calls. Initially, it seemed the challenges might prove impossible to overcome. With each step forward another challenge followed behind it. But then things began to come together. Hearing of the project, Evergreen Aviation was immediately intrigued, and offered helicopter assistance. However the weight of the steam donkey posed a problem, as it exceeded the helicopter’s weight limitations. Dismantling the donkey was the only option for the air lift to occur. And so it was – the dismantling became a project of its own. It entailed a 6-month coordinated effort with enlisting the help of Merv Johnson, who also happened to be an experienced donkey equipment expert. With a bit of luck, Merv possessed a catalogue for that specific donkey which provided the essential weight information for each dismantled part. Following multiple helicopter trips to retrieve all the dismantled parts of the donkey and the tools it took to do the job, the air lift was completed. In the end, the coordinated effort resulted in a successful, and what can only be described as an epic endeavor. As a final step, with the help of a crane, the steam donkey was placed at the Tillamook Forest Center on HWY 6 in 2006, just prior to its opening. It remains there today, on display.
Steam Donkey at TFC
Steam Donkey at TFC
Steam Donkey at TFC

A Heritage Player Cast Member

John Barnes is a member of the Pioneer Museum’s Heritage Players. He portrays George Griffith, an 1889 homesteader who established a sheep ranch in what is now known as the Washburne State Park/China Creek area. He continued to claim more land until he acquired 1,000 acres for his ranch. George lived there for 22 years until 1911. The Heritage Players continue to perform at various events throughout Florence.

John Barnes, Heritage Player

 

* * * * *
Story by Deb Lobey
Transcript by Suzanne Korosec
Oral History Project
Sources

  • Allen, Cain. Salmonberry Burn, 1945. Oregon History Project, Oregon Historical Society 2006. Catalog No. OrHi 63461.
  • Decker, Doug. Ttillamook Burn. Oregon Encyclopedia, Oregon Historical Society.
  • Kamholz, Edward. Donkey Engine. Oregon Encyclopedia.
  • Read, Tobias. Steam Donkeys and Lumberjack Food; Oregon Secretary of State. Rust, Rot, and Ruin, Stories of Oregon Ghost Towns
  • Tillamook Forest Center (Images), Steam Donkey Exhibit