Lynette – I believe the dam was just above the old town of Falk. The logging methods included falling trees all summer, getting them down into the canyon, backing water up with the dam, and bringing the wood down with “flash flood delivery”. Interesting and scary at the same time… The environmental devastation wrought on the local landscape was shocking. Did you know too that there was record of a 424′ redwood in the Elk River Valley? It was cut of course. Not trying to be a downer – the people back then had an excuse for it – it was survival mode!
Wow. Ugh. I am completely t
orn because that is really incredible and fascinating info-yet I want to respect and acknowledge the environmental damage (as you did). Yet… I can’t help but love the ingenuity of the flash flood idea… I’ll just stick with “wow”. Thanks for sharing.
And there is this book: Falk’s Claim: The Life and Death of a Redwood Lumber Town [Paperback]
Jon Humboldt Gates (Author) .
It tells of the delivery of logs by flash flood and other such doings in the area.
Lynette – I believe the dam was just above the old town of Falk. The logging methods included falling trees all summer, getting them down into the canyon, backing water up with the dam, and bringing the wood down with “flash flood delivery”. Interesting and scary at the same time… The environmental devastation wrought on the local landscape was shocking. Did you know too that there was record of a 424′ redwood in the Elk River Valley? It was cut of course. Not trying to be a downer – the people back then had an excuse for it – it was survival mode!
Wow. Ugh. I am completely t
orn because that is really incredible and fascinating info-yet I want to respect and acknowledge the environmental damage (as you did). Yet… I can’t help but love the ingenuity of the flash flood idea… I’ll just stick with “wow”. Thanks for sharing.
And there is this book: Falk’s Claim: The Life and Death of a Redwood Lumber Town [Paperback]
Jon Humboldt Gates (Author) .
It tells of the delivery of logs by flash flood and other such doings in the area.
Great resource, Wes. Thanks for mentioning it.
I hope all is well with you.
My father in law, Dale Callihan, lived in Falk as a boy, so it’s always been an interesting topic for me. Thanks for sharing the photos.
Happy to share. And I have another great one of Falk I’ll post soon.