Fort Klamath in Klamath County, Oregon — The American West (Northwest)

The First Sawmill

Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, December 2, 2012

1. The First Sawmill Marker

Inscription. The first sawmill present in Klamath County was erected
near this site on Fort Creek in 1863 by the U.S. Army.

Erected 1992 by Klamath County Historical Society-Klamath County Historical Landmark Commission.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Native Americans. A significant historical year for this entry is 1863.

Location. 42° 41.475′ N, 121° 58.422′ W. Marker is in Fort Klamath, Oregon, in Klamath County. Marker can be reached from Crater Lake Highway (Route 62). Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Fort Klamath OR 97626, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Ft. Klamath Frontier Post (a few steps from this marker); Site of Fort Klamath (approx. 0.2 miles away); Fort Klamath Military Cemetery Memorial (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Town of Fort Klamath (approx. 1.4 miles away); Klamath Fish Hatchery (approx. 3.1 miles away); Collier Memorial Logging Museum (approx. 5.8 miles away); Stout Abner (approx. 5.8 miles away); Williamson River (approx. 5.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Klamath.

More about this marker. This historical marker is one of many 'T' markers located throughout Klamath

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County. This marker is located within Fort Klamath County Park Museum and is only accessible during the months of mid-May through September.

Regarding The First Sawmill. The following verbiage was taken from the Oregon State University Archives website (weblink to article no longer exists) to describe the history of this sawmill:

The United States Army brought the first sawmill into the county from Jacksonville, OR in 1863, that being the year "Old Fort Klamath" was established. It was a steam driven circular mill erected on the east side of Fort Creek opposite the site of the fort and probably had a capacity of two or three thousand feet per day. It is reported that the machinery was privately owned and that it was operated, either under lease or contract, until 1870. The mill was built to furnish lumber to the Indians and for various buildings in connection with the fort, which itself was constructed of logs. In 1870 the army brought in from Vancouver a fire box boiler and upright engine which had been taken out of one of their boats on the Columbia river and, with this equipment for power, built a new circular mill on the west side of Fort Creek at a point approximately east of the present Fort Klamath Junction. The mill did not operate very much at that location, probably because the one built at Klamath Agency the
Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, December 2, 2012

2. The First Sawmill Marker
same year was more efficient and supplied the requirements of the Indians. The mill was moved to Yainax in 1893, where it operated until 1899, when it burned. The treaty establishing the Klamath Indian Reservation was concluded October 14, 1864. One of the considerations of the treaty was that the Government would provide a sawmill for the use of the Indians and for a period of twenty years would keep it in repair and furnish all tools and supplies as well as a sawyer. The Reservation being under the supervision of the army in those early years and the fort area being included within the Reservation, it seems certain that the first mill at the fort was used to comply with the treaty terms, especially since records at Klamath Agency show that Peter W. Cans of Applegate, Oregon, (born in France) was hired as a sawyer by the Indian Service on October 1st 1868. An official at the Agency has stated that other sawyers may have been hired before that time.

Fort Klamath County Park Museum grounds image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Douglass Halvorsen, December 2, 2012

3. Fort Klamath County Park Museum grounds

Credits. This page was last revised on December 12, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 7, 2016, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. This page has been viewed 267 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 7, 2016, by Douglass Halvorsen of Klamath Falls, Oregon. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.