Shedding Light On Early Twentieth Century Logging: The Archaeological Remains Of A Lighting Power Plant At Camp A Of The Bridal Veil Lumbering Company, Multnomah County, Oregon (ca. 1910~1920) And Its Implications For Camp Life And Industrial Culture Of The Period

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Historical Archaeology of Neighborhoods and Communities (General Sessions)" , at the 2021 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The Bridal Veil Lumbering Company harvested timber from the slopes of Larch Mountain, Oregon for half a century (ca. 1886-1936). Dozens of logging camps faded in and out of existence over the life of the company. Archaeological investigations over the last several decades have revealed the remains of six camps, each an architype of the technological and cultural milieu of the decade in which it operated.

Recent investigations documented a seventh, Bridal Veil Camp A (ca. 1910~1920). The camp remains include a unique find: the remnants of a power plant consisting of a concentration of glass-encased batteries, and a generator. Adoption of this emerging technology likely had a profound effect on camp life and industrial culture. The archaeological remains of the plant are described along with the evident cultural and technological impact of electricity. A performance matrix is presented discussing competing technologies in lighting and powering logging camps.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Historical Archaeology of Neighborhoods and Communities (General Sessions)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2021

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology