This is one of several statewide caches designed to connect you with forests and with history, and to commemorate the centennial year of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), Oregon’s biggest fire department. To appreciate the wider story of Oregon’s forest history and the evolving work of ODF, be sure to check out the entire series.
Often confused with the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Forestry is Oregon’s state agency (“the other guys”) responsible for management of about 1 million acres of state-owned forest; protection from forest fires on about 16 million acres of public and private forest; and implementation of standards and rules to protect natural resources during forest operations on private lands.
We started out as a fire department in 1911 with two paid employees. Since then, our mission has grown to include planting and management of the Tillamook, Santiam, Clatsop, Elliott, Sun Pass and Gilchrist State Forest, and other scattered forest lands. Today, we operate offices in 17 Oregon communities statewide, and have about 800 full-time employees. Much has changed in 100 years: land ownership, harvest practices, the economy, transportation systems. What hasn’t changed is our commitment to serving people and protecting Oregon’s forests.
As you seek out this cache, we hope you’ll appreciate the history behind the place you’re going as you take a moment to see the forest and the trees.
Safe and happy cachin!
Lost Creek Guard Station
In the 1920s and 1930s, forest road networks were not well developed. To get to job sites, employees often traveled many miles on foot or horseback, carrying all the equipment need to perform field work. This made it impractical for employees to make daily round-trips. To facilitate work at remote sites, both the U.S. Forest Service and ODF built guard stations at strategic locations throughout the forest to house fire patrols and project crews.
The cache is located at the current Lost Creek Guard Station, which started service in the late 1970's after the dam was put in, replacing the old McLeod Guard Station On your drive there, be sure to look at the site of the old guard station at 42 39.533 122 42.440. (The buildings are occupied, please do not disturb the residents)