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Mike Fredson
Mike Fredson is a fifth-generation Mason County resident who has a graduate degree from University of Arizona and is a Vietnam veteran who has written several books about Mason County. He also penned the essays 'A Short History of Mason County' (2004) and The Artist Colony on Hood Canal (2006) for the Mason County Journal. He lives in Union on Hood Canal near the Olympic Mountains.
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The Artists Colony of Hood Canal by Mike Fredson
This is the story of the artist culture that helped create Union's identity on Hood Canal. It focuses on three artist who settled in the area: Orrie Nobles of Olympus Manor, Frank Pixley of Yachthaven and the woodblock artist Waldo Chase. |
Beast Manby Mike Fredson
In 1911, hermit John Tornow was accused of murdering his two cousins while they were out hunting bear. This created a manhunt that captivated the region and may have even inspired Edgar rice Burroughs to pen his Tarzan series. Since then, tales have been embellished upon, and straight lied about for a century. This is the true story of the "Wildman of the Wynooche". Written in 2002 it continues to be one of the best local sellers. |
Hood Canalby Michael Fredson
From the very popular "Image of America" series, this book features over a hundred old photographs of the Hood Canal region of Mason County. |
Log Townsby Michael Fredson
In 1845 Michael Simmons founded New Market in the southern forest of Puget Sound. Simmons became the upper Sound's first logger. Later he moved to Big Skookum in Mason County and cut piers for the San Francisco trade at his Skookum sawmill. This story follows men who came to work in the woods from Quebec and Wisconsin, From Michigan and Pennsylvania and New York. It includes John Slocum, who rose from the dead twice. It tells about Captain Renton, W.H. Kneeland, the Bordeaux family and the log towns these people lived and worked in. |
Oakland to Shelton the Sawdust Trailby Michael Fredson Illustrated by Maxine Morse
David Shelton and other pioneers first settled in Oakland (two miles outside of Shelton). Soon they relocated much of the town to present day Shelton. This is the story of the early years in Shelton's history. |
Shelton's Boomby Michael Fredson and illustrated by Gary Jenkins.
Unquestionably Shelton's biggest time of growth was from 1910 until 1933. It was this time when Simpson Logging Company started booming and people like Sol Simpson and Mark Reed started to form this one time company town into a prosperous city. It was at this time when Simpson had a lot of control over the city and held much of the wealth. They were able to use this power to build the start of the infrastructure that is still used today. |
Logging in Mason County 1946-1985
by Michael Fredson
In 1946, the US Forest Service and Simpson Logging Company agreed to a sustained yield unit, cooperatively managing lands for 100 years for “community stability.” Championed by USFS chief William Greeley and dubbed the “Sustained Steal” by detractors, the Shelton Cooperative Sustained Yield Unit nonetheless provided jobs for returning World War II veterans. Simpson Logging built the largest logging camp in the continental United States, Camp Grisdale, which had a two-room school and a two-lane bowling alley. Shelton and McCleary were saved from becoming ghosts towns, and downtown Shelton was modernized with a shopping center, parks, and schools. Mason County’s Forest Festival was a weekend celebration for 30,000 visitors that included a parade and logging shows. As the only cooperative unit established in the United States, it attracted national attention, including TV personality Arthur Godfrey. In 1961, the movie Ring of Fire was filmed above Camp Grisdale. As World War II memories faded, logging practices were challenged by notions of wilderness and recreation. Improved equipment reduced the jobs, and when Simpson withdrew from the sustained yield agreement, employees were disenfranchised.
Author Bio: Michael Fredson is past president of the Mason County Historical Society. The images are from the society’s extensive collection of logging photographs.
In 1946, the US Forest Service and Simpson Logging Company agreed to a sustained yield unit, cooperatively managing lands for 100 years for “community stability.” Championed by USFS chief William Greeley and dubbed the “Sustained Steal” by detractors, the Shelton Cooperative Sustained Yield Unit nonetheless provided jobs for returning World War II veterans. Simpson Logging built the largest logging camp in the continental United States, Camp Grisdale, which had a two-room school and a two-lane bowling alley. Shelton and McCleary were saved from becoming ghosts towns, and downtown Shelton was modernized with a shopping center, parks, and schools. Mason County’s Forest Festival was a weekend celebration for 30,000 visitors that included a parade and logging shows. As the only cooperative unit established in the United States, it attracted national attention, including TV personality Arthur Godfrey. In 1961, the movie Ring of Fire was filmed above Camp Grisdale. As World War II memories faded, logging practices were challenged by notions of wilderness and recreation. Improved equipment reduced the jobs, and when Simpson withdrew from the sustained yield agreement, employees were disenfranchised.
Author Bio: Michael Fredson is past president of the Mason County Historical Society. The images are from the society’s extensive collection of logging photographs.
