Logging in the area was a big business

Camp Badger it its heyday This picture was taken in the late 1800's. From the road intersection looking north. Highway 245 is now near the oak tree at center right.

Many of the roads to the sawmills couldn't handle the large loads. Smaller teams moved the lumber from the mills to Camp Badger for drying. Larger teams also would go on to the mills and return to top off their loads to haul to the valley. When at their peak, it is claimed that as many as 150 teams plied those roads daily. Walter Robinson was the first driver to take a six mule team down the old "Dry Creek" road.

There were many sawmills scattered about in the higher mountains. Neff's Camp, Hart's Mill at Clipper Flat, Courtner's Mill near Cherry Flat, Buckman's Mill in Dark Canyon and Hart's Mill in Pierce Valley name a few. See other related logging sites and equipment linked from the history page.

Hart Sawmill - Cutting log at the Hart Mill, later known as the Buckman Mill in Dark Canyon. Note the two circular saw blades needed to reach through the larger logs. Some of the early mill hands: Mont Parker, engineer, Grace, his wife , cook; Eli Thomas and Walter Robinson, carriage tenders; Bill Downing, edger; Misenheimer, lumber piler; Ben Harris, Pop Watts, Dave Wortman, Earl and Clyde Wortman Carl Chance and many others who were cutting timber and hauling it. The slab mill was manned by Cliff Moore, the Downing boys and others. Mrs. Runyon, mother of Lucia Runyon cooked at the mill.

Cortner's Sawmill - Preston Cortner located this mill between Eshom Peak and Cherry Flat. Walt Robinson also used his Ox team here to skid logs. Others who worked here were Fred Moore, Bounce Cortner, Taylor Archer, Tol Cortner, Andy Miller and Ed Miller. Preston Cortner had another mill in Big Meadows. More photos are located in the Gallery.