Old Time Logging Galbraith Brothers History

This video/slideshow shows some great pictures of old time logging in the big wood of the Pacific Northwest. Additionally, this is a history of Galbraith Bros. Logging Company that began logging around 1910 and continued until the mid 1970s. There are a few back stories captioned on the pictures that you may find interesting.

[@bobmartin6055]

Much respect for these fine loggers and their families! Thanks for sharing!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@TR-on9tx]

Wow ! Old home week brought back many memories of people, equipment, mountains walked on. What a great place to grow up. Thank you. Terry Reece

[@elwellboy]

Terry glad you enjoyed the video. I suspect you may have recognized a few of the "old timers" from the early 60s. I really enjoyed putting this together so more people could enjoy some of these old pictures vs. letting them collect dust. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@Charles-qt2gx]

Nicely done brought back many good memories of Darrington and the Deming area

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@robertalbonico3682]

Thanks for sharing photos

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@paulporter604]

Thanks for the video history. Enjoyed it greatly.

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. It was really kind of a fun project. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@awen777]

I remember as a kid the logging trucks came down canyon creek road near Glacier, WA. loaded with big old growth and literally bobsledding down that icy snow covered road just before Christmas . You had to be careful not to get in a head on with a truck coming or going on the highway. Lots of fatalities as the truckers were paid by the load we were told. Bellingham Bay still had about three active cedar sawing outfits on the shore. My dad worked in one. Many of those guys were missing fingers too.

[@PaulMatthews-m1t]

I still have my grandfather's original copy of 18 men and a horse. The story of the start of bloedel Donovan in whatcom county. He was high rigging for them during world war II, with the donkey puncher and a crew of inmates from the Clearwater honor camp. Thank you for the video.

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. If you look on page 200, there is a picture of JH Bloedel's 80th birthday. Hugh Galbraith is the third from far left. Lots of interesting logging history. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@markzadlock4229]

Thats when men n equipment were equally tough 😊. Very nice tribute buddy 👍🌲the new Jersey logman

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Lots of logging/family history. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@brookscarrie]

My roots. Whatcom County and Darrington. I sure miss the old timers. I loved their stories. And the smell of the can of bear grease, warming on the wood stove. I miss the fire, stoked at 3am. And the smell of coffee wafting under the door, pitch, mixed gas. Saw dust. Hearing the trucks start up and drive of at 3:30am. Thanks for posting. Good bless

[@elwellboy]

Couldn't agree more. I thoroughly enjoyed putting together the video as it brought back lots of memories. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@skagited9617]

Nicely done, and some great history! Grew up around logging, but my experience was laying out timber sales, and cruising a couple summers for the USFS. My Dad, although employed by Puget Power, moonlighted many hours mechanicing for various loggers, esp L G Cunningham, Birdsview. So I got drug along as 'safety man' many times when something needed repaired 'up on the hill'... (actually begged to go!) Many LATE nights getting a machine ready for the morning crew. Eventually did 10 yrs in the 'Old Mill' at Summit, and 12 at Goodyear-Nelson in Woolley. Nothing like the smell of fresh-cut D-Fir!! Thanks for posting, elwellboy!!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. It was fun putting all these pictures together for interested folks to enjoy. I too worked in the old mill at Summit during high school pulling lumber on the planer chain. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@miketreadwell5654]

great pictures- the glory days of logging

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. It was fun to put together and preserve some pictures from the "days of big timber". Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@CuttingEdgetools]

Very cool tribute. They sure pulled some big monster firs Outta that region🇺🇸

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@rachelmlusby]

This is a great video; I came across it while trying to follow a trail of breadcrumbs, looking for my great uncle who went MIA in the 30s. I've tracked him up to Bellingham, where he apparently worked for Galbraith logging. (He changed his name, so it has been an on-going, multi-generational search effort).

[@elwellboy]

Oh wow. Glad you found the video. What was your great uncle's name(s)? I know some folks that knew (or knew of) a lot of the old timers that worked for Galbraith Brothers. I would be happy to ask around and see if I can come up with anything. Glad you enjoyed the video. Let me know. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@johnvandenobelen8313]

Great photo collection thanks for sharing 😊🌲

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. It was fun putting it together. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@johnvandenobelen8313]

Here I am watching the video nine months later and enjoying the photo’s once again. Great 👍 job!🌲

[@arnenelson4495]

Great historical video, thanks!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I enjoyed putting it together. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@TR-on9tx]

I just ran across this video. Great job, brought back many memories of growing up in Darrington and putting the knob in the bell. I hope you have enough of Clayton’s info to do the same. Again, great job.I still have a few photos of Dad;s and uncle Bob’s trucks loaded for the Timber Bowl.

[@elwellboy]

Thanks Terry. Glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed putting it together. Hopefully you recognized some of the people. I had a bunch of video that Clayton recorded back in the mid/late 80s and put it together in a series of videos on my channel. If you haven't seen them, here are the links kzbin.info/www/bejne/aqnTlaaMfbSLn7c kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYKanXWtYs5se6M kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnTWlI2gg7OEhdk kzbin.info/www/bejne/eaumpJ6Xa82ajKc kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6LTi6qcj690oJI Check these out and enjoy. Great to hear from you again.

[@PaulMatthews-m1t]

My grandfather started working for bloedel Donovan in whatcom county. He was working as a high rigger for them when they sold their timber holdings to Rainier on the peninsula. You told me they were putting a million board feet a day in the water at seiku.

[@elwellboy]

Interesting. My grandfather started working for Bloedel Donovan at the Larson mill around 1910 and was the planer mill foreman. Those old timers would flip if they saw all the little wood that is being logged today. Again, thanks for watching and commenting.

[@nighttrain022]

Fantastic posting, As an easterner, I never could barely fathom the PNW and the tough men who lived and worked and logged and hunted for gold etc all out there. Look forward to seeing all your stuff elwellboy

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. I enjoyed putting it together from old family photos. Thanks for watching and commenting. Hope you enjoy my other videos. Hit the subscribe button and the bell so you get notified when I post something new.

[@dpcustom1]

from a ol whisle punk from the 80s i saw some of the last giant stands old growth in the pnw. .great video some awesome pics from true icons of the industry wish i coulda cut my teeth in those days...thanks for sharing...

[@elwellboy]

Yes sir you won't see much timber like that anymore. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@richarddodds9326]

All the big timber now gone forever and can't be replaced, in TX seen thousands acres bulldozed and burned or just left in piles to rot.

[@elwellboy]

Timber is a crop. Most of the areas logged in this video have since been logged at least once maybe twice in the last 100 years. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@TimberMan1973]

This was great!! Have been in the logging bus for 25 years. Really enjoyed the history of the places I worked in my 20's.

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@DeanHarringtonimages]

My mother's father was a Galbraith from Washington State. He was a preacher and eventually ended up in Denver Colorado. He was consider a 'black sheep' of the family considering his itinerant life style.

[@elwellboy]

Interesting. Do you have any further information on your grandfather? I am in the process of putting together a rather extensive Galbraith family history and would be very interested to see where he fits in. Email me at: [e-mail] if you have any info. Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@boardbysled]

Great video!

[@elwellboy]

boardbysled Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@deanchristensen4777]

Nice Tribute John and Kim…

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting. Saw your brother last week.

[@skadill]

Excellent job,,Really enjoyed this,great history,pictures and presentation-Thank you!!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. It was fun to make and to be honest a bit emotional to watch. Lots of good memories. Thanks for the nice comment.

[@knotbumper]

Summit Timber still ran Internationals I think as long as they existed I think I see here, it appears they started with them.

[@elwellboy]

Hugh Galbraith was close friends with the Cooks that owned Cook Motors (International dealer in Mount Vernon) where they bought most all their trucks over the years. Before Summit Timber started running Internationals (early 70s) they had several B model Macks and before that Jones and Anderson had some LT Macks that they picked up from Lake Shannon Logging. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@ryerbecker]

Great homage to a great industry! I would love to touch base more about the history of this outfit if possible. Not sure if there is any easy way to do so offline/not through KZbin.

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. You can email me at - [e-mail] - Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@arborist460]

Awsome!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@judypendergrass5412]

What a nice tribute, John! Logging has evolved tremendously over the years, and it's important to maintain and preserve that history. Thanks for sharing!

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for your nice comment.

[@gregoriosantiago8942]

Thats was a awesome video. Do you still have the old vintage axes🪓 and Crosscut saw. That they used?

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed the video. Unfortunately, I don't have any of those old axes or crosscut saws but do have a collection of old chainsaws some of which are from the 50s and would have been used during a portion of this video. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@GotFreight]

Very cool. Thank you for taking time to put this together and share it. Spent alot of good times riding motorcycles on Galbraith mountain as a kid and grew up with many friends who's family's were in the local logging industry.

[@elwellboy]

Glad you enjoyed it. The pictures from about 1:30 to 2:30 were when Galbraith Bros. were logging on Galbraith Mtn. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@alleghenytitus8930]

GREAT GREAT VIDEO!!!! Seeing all those very familiar people brought back some very strong memories. Can I get you to change dad's name to Scoop McCaulley though? Both he and my brother Merle worked for the Galbraith Brothers for many years. I remember the day Merle came through the door after coming down the mountain to tell us about Alvin's accident. Was quite the day for him. Of course I went to school with all the girls and Brett. Worked with Jean at the hardware store. Good times! Cori McCaulley Fasy

[@elwellboy]

Cori - Glad you enjoyed the video. Sorry about goofing up your dad's last name. I'll see if I can change it. I may have some more pictures and I believe one of them is your dad (I think) topping a spar tree. If I find some more I'll update the video then. I worked with Merle building road for Summit Timber in the early 70s and usually see him when in town visiting. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@patwilson1056]

Great

[@elwellboy]

Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed it.