Some History of North Skyline Ridge
By Lorene Dunsmoor
There were very few living up here in the early 1930's; There was a Mr. Bob Munson who lived on Logie Trail road now known as Johnson Rd. He was a logger and had several loggers working for him who lived in small cabins on his place.
Logie Trail started at what is now called St. Helens road, at that time it was called Lower Columbia Highway, or Highway 30 (which it still is) Logie Trail followed the trapping trail of Mr. Logie and Mr. Kegler; who, with other adivities, trapped these hills from Highway 30 almost to Forest Grove.
Mr. Kegler told us about Logie Spring and said that many bears were taken in what he called a bear wallow there. He was surprised to learn that most of the people that lived up here in the thirties were hauling water for their animals and household from the spring. We were looking for a place to get out of town over the weekend and Mr. Kegler was disposing of what land he had left up here also some of his heirs. It was my understanding that Mr. Rice and Mr. Munsons land at one time belonged to him as did the Satchell land. There were also a Mr. & Mrs. Danielson who owned land and lived further north on Skyline, past what is now Johnson Road (old Logie Trail). Skyline continued on North till it intersected with Rocky Point road, which at that time was not more then a trail. I do not believe it was even rocked.
At one time there were two Logie trails coming up from st. Helens Road, One came up the ridge higher and steeper then the one we now use. I always thought it was probably the original·trapping trail, as Lyle and I tramping over these hills ran on to it many times, and had been told how the original one was so steep for the horses and wagons,
When we first came up here Logie had only two turn-outs. You had to back to one of them so two cars could not pass, and it looked a lot steeper than it does now. There was no shoulder nor timber to keep one from going a many hundred of feet if you got off the road, almost straight down. It did make good and careful drivers out of us.
We have the W.PA to thank for widening and fixing Logie also for widening and improving Skyline and Beck Road. They did a fine job on the banks of Logie. Many of us worried that it would slide as it does on Cornelius Pass, but it never has. We tip our hats to the engineers for doing such a fine job that has stood up all these years even with heavy truck traffic that travels it.
Beck road was improved a little later. At that time there were not many living at this end of it. Mr. & Mrs. Paul Howerton, Mr. & Mrs. David Ballinger and a Mr. & Mrs. Allan. Further down there was a Mr. Emmery and Mr. & Mrs. Kenney.
It was in the early 1940's that the dam was put in at the foot of Logie and a lake was formed from the stream from the foot hills It was known as Rainbow Lake, and Mr. & Mrs. Louie Anderson ran it for several years. It was very popular. You could fish and they would fry it for you. They were there until they widened Highway 30 (or st. Helens Road) and they cut unto what was the restaurant. It has been missed by many friends including myself.
For years in the summer and fall we would have a double rainbow and it always seemed to end at the Lake.
The lake is real deep with many huge logs and stumps in the bottom. To my knowledge it was never cleared just filled with water from the hills. The newspaper used to call the hills "Little Upstart" or Tuality Mountains, of late they have been called the west hills, which takes in the entire ridge towards Portland.
Some things that might be of interest is that Mrs. Logie was known as a midwife and doctor and delivered babies from Sauvie Island clear to Forest Grove, both in Multnomah and Washington Counties.
Mr. Keigler operated a coal mine and the tracks- or parts of them- were still here in the 1940's. That was between Logie Trail and Morgan Road. I never got to see them but have been told there was a huge forest of cedar trees on the river side of Skyline at the the Maplethrope Place near Elliot Road and Skyline Blvd.
In the old days, the children that went to Munson Hill and Mason Hill SChools either had to walk or ride horses. Both schools had a three sided shed for protection for the horses. Later they were taken to Skyline School and were bussed. There was no transportation furnished by the county.
I know I have probably missed a lot of names of people that may have been here a long time, for that I apologize, I can only mention those I knew, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Howerton, Mrs. Caroline Hodgson (related to Mr. Benson), Mrs. alien Johnson (originally a Danielson), Mrs. Marybell Allen (originally a Wilcox Hopkins) and Joe Satchell.
RR Fall 89
There were very few living up here in the early 1930's; There was a Mr. Bob Munson who lived on Logie Trail road now known as Johnson Rd. He was a logger and had several loggers working for him who lived in small cabins on his place.
Logie Trail started at what is now called St. Helens road, at that time it was called Lower Columbia Highway, or Highway 30 (which it still is) Logie Trail followed the trapping trail of Mr. Logie and Mr. Kegler; who, with other adivities, trapped these hills from Highway 30 almost to Forest Grove.
Mr. Kegler told us about Logie Spring and said that many bears were taken in what he called a bear wallow there. He was surprised to learn that most of the people that lived up here in the thirties were hauling water for their animals and household from the spring. We were looking for a place to get out of town over the weekend and Mr. Kegler was disposing of what land he had left up here also some of his heirs. It was my understanding that Mr. Rice and Mr. Munsons land at one time belonged to him as did the Satchell land. There were also a Mr. & Mrs. Danielson who owned land and lived further north on Skyline, past what is now Johnson Road (old Logie Trail). Skyline continued on North till it intersected with Rocky Point road, which at that time was not more then a trail. I do not believe it was even rocked.
At one time there were two Logie trails coming up from st. Helens Road, One came up the ridge higher and steeper then the one we now use. I always thought it was probably the original·trapping trail, as Lyle and I tramping over these hills ran on to it many times, and had been told how the original one was so steep for the horses and wagons,
When we first came up here Logie had only two turn-outs. You had to back to one of them so two cars could not pass, and it looked a lot steeper than it does now. There was no shoulder nor timber to keep one from going a many hundred of feet if you got off the road, almost straight down. It did make good and careful drivers out of us.
We have the W.PA to thank for widening and fixing Logie also for widening and improving Skyline and Beck Road. They did a fine job on the banks of Logie. Many of us worried that it would slide as it does on Cornelius Pass, but it never has. We tip our hats to the engineers for doing such a fine job that has stood up all these years even with heavy truck traffic that travels it.
Beck road was improved a little later. At that time there were not many living at this end of it. Mr. & Mrs. Paul Howerton, Mr. & Mrs. David Ballinger and a Mr. & Mrs. Allan. Further down there was a Mr. Emmery and Mr. & Mrs. Kenney.
It was in the early 1940's that the dam was put in at the foot of Logie and a lake was formed from the stream from the foot hills It was known as Rainbow Lake, and Mr. & Mrs. Louie Anderson ran it for several years. It was very popular. You could fish and they would fry it for you. They were there until they widened Highway 30 (or st. Helens Road) and they cut unto what was the restaurant. It has been missed by many friends including myself.
For years in the summer and fall we would have a double rainbow and it always seemed to end at the Lake.
The lake is real deep with many huge logs and stumps in the bottom. To my knowledge it was never cleared just filled with water from the hills. The newspaper used to call the hills "Little Upstart" or Tuality Mountains, of late they have been called the west hills, which takes in the entire ridge towards Portland.
Some things that might be of interest is that Mrs. Logie was known as a midwife and doctor and delivered babies from Sauvie Island clear to Forest Grove, both in Multnomah and Washington Counties.
Mr. Keigler operated a coal mine and the tracks- or parts of them- were still here in the 1940's. That was between Logie Trail and Morgan Road. I never got to see them but have been told there was a huge forest of cedar trees on the river side of Skyline at the the Maplethrope Place near Elliot Road and Skyline Blvd.
In the old days, the children that went to Munson Hill and Mason Hill SChools either had to walk or ride horses. Both schools had a three sided shed for protection for the horses. Later they were taken to Skyline School and were bussed. There was no transportation furnished by the county.
I know I have probably missed a lot of names of people that may have been here a long time, for that I apologize, I can only mention those I knew, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Howerton, Mrs. Caroline Hodgson (related to Mr. Benson), Mrs. alien Johnson (originally a Danielson), Mrs. Marybell Allen (originally a Wilcox Hopkins) and Joe Satchell.
RR Fall 89