The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Loggers, truck drivers and operators will gather once again on Saturday, January 31 at the Appelo Archives Center to celebrate the Center’s 5th Annual Old Time Loggers Reunion. Held annually, the reunion is intended to bring together timber industry workers of all ages and their families as well as other community members who want to honor the industry’s significance in the region. As is their tradition the Center will honor two locals, Harvey Johnson Jr. and Merlin Durrah. Each has a long history of working in the woods.

Harvey Johnson Jr. was a graduate of Naselle High School in 1965. After graduation Harvey spent time working at Merle and Jack’s Richfield Station, the Big Creek Fish Hatchery in Knappa, Ore., and for Naselle Rock and Asphalt. Harvey also worked for Jerry Miller, Rueben Penttila, where he drove log truck, and with Paul Bjornsgard before deciding in 1975 to open his own logging company, Johnson Forestry, based in Naselle, with no more than a cat and a self-loader. Today Harvey still logs locally, and his wife Jeannine Larson, whom he married in 1967, is an active member of the community. Their grandson, Tye, is following closely in his grandpa’s footsteps, with a passion for logging.

Merlin Durrah started his logging career fire watching in the summers when he was 17 years old. In 1958 when out of high school, he worked for Campbell Brothers Logging for a short while. Merlin reports, “Safety was always the same when I worked in the woods.” The big change he’s seen in the logging industry was the change from the size of the logs that went from old growth to small timber. His favorite truck was a brand new 1979 Mac B Series. Another big change was from the wooden spar tree to the towers. He said the towers were much better. Instead of taking three days to rig, it only took four hours. Merlin only worked for a few companies. He drove for Brock for two years, and worked for Helvey Logging Company second loading and head loading. Most of his logging career was for Crown Zellerbach from 1965 to 1985. He worked in the shop and on the construction crew, and drove truck. Merlin was in a couple of log truck wrecks, but neither was serious. Merlin’s father, Homer, was a logger, and his grandfather, Frank, ran sled yarder for Bill Meserve. His son, Jon worked in the woods until he was injured. Merlin married Judy Kinney in 1964, and they have three children.

Anyone who knows or has worked with either Harvey or Merlin is asked to stop in and help honor them and all they have done for the industry. The gathering will be held at the Appelo Archives Center at 1056 State Route 4, in Naselle. It is expected to run from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with coffee and refreshments provided. The Archives Café will also be open for lunch. For more information contact Samantha at 360-484-7103 or by email at info@appeloarchives.org.