Logger’s Hall of Fame,  Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum

Begun in 1985, the Logger’s Hall of Fame honors people who have worked in the woods for a significant part of their lives and who have made valuable contributions to lumbering in the western Maine mountains. It was my great honor to help with this vital Logging Museum program from 1985 until 21 October 2014 when I resigned because of new policies (enacted by new officers) that I could not agree with, since those policies would put Museum collections and loan items at risk. I resigned with great regret, because I loved being a part of the Logging Museum and, especially, the Logger’s Hall of Fame program–learning and writing about the history of western Maine logging from these fine men and their families.

My thanks to the loggers on the Hall of Fame Committee: Mark Beauregard (Rangeley), David “Joe” Haley (Rangeley), and Lance White (Dixfield). Our last act in August 2014 was to nominate Jack Ross and Gaylon “Jeep” Wilcox. Congratulations to Jack’s family, and to Jeep and his family! (For information about the 2015 Induction Ceremony and any future Logger’s Hall of Fame activities, see the Maine Forestry Museum website).

2015   Jack Ross, Rangeley, 1929-2015. Posthumous recognition.

           Gaylon “Jeep” Wilcox, Rangeley, born 1939.

2014   Luc Morin, Carthage

           Leo Pepin, Stratton (1930-2012). Posthumous recognition.

2013    Richard Hale, Rangeley and Bethel, 1921-2015.

Born in 1921 in Lisbon Falls, Mr. Hale began work as logger around his hometown in 1948. By that time, he had graduated from the University of Maine, Orono, served in the Army, and earned a Master of Forestry from Yale University. He worked in the woods until 1960, also operating a portable circular saw mill. From 1966 to 1990, he taught forestry at the University of Maine, Orono. Many Rangeley area foresters, including Mark Beauregard, Frank Conlon, Pete Johnson, and Trish and Michael Quinn studied with him. In 1967, he married Jan Dumont of Lewiston. Their daughter, Heather Hale-Nivus, son-in-law, David Nivus, and granddaughters, Corinne and Jocelyn, live in Bethel.

2012    Wendell Steward, Rangeley.

Born in 1929, Mr. Steward began working in the woods as a nine-year-old, cutting white birch with his father on their Long Pond farm and selling it to the Brackley Wood Turning Mill in Strong.  Among his many forest-related jobs were those with Otis Oakes; the Kempton Lumber Company; the Redington Navy Base; and, for 24 years, with D.C. Morton.  He also worked on the Dead River drives for 15 years. Then, he was road foreman for the Town of Rangeley for 20 years.  From 1952 to 1954, he served in the U.S. Army running heavy equipment, putting his woods skills to work. He lives in Rangeley with his wife Marylyn, and the couple has four children—Brad, Wendelyn, Melissa and Corey—and a grandson, Cody.

2011    William “Bunk” Spiller, Rangeley.

2011    Elijah White, Jr., Carthage and Windham.

2010    Robert “Bobby” Wilbur, Rangeley.

2009    Clement “Clem” Field, Rangeley. Posthumous recognition.

2009    Bud Field, Rangeley.

2008    Lewis Abbott, Phillips.

2007    Eddie Lowell, Rangeley.

2006    Stan Bartash, Rangeley.

2006    Raymond Vallee

2005    Cary “Bubba” Keep, Rangeley.

2004    William “Bill” Coolong, Avon.

2003    Luke Brochu, Stratton.

2003    Clarence Jones, Bingham.

(more coming soon)