Late on a Saturday afternoon, while out driving local back roads near Enumclaw, I stumbled upon this fascinating place, covered in vintage logging equipment. From the road, you could see many huge pulleys hanging in a yard, so of course having my camera gear beside me in the seat, I stopped to take a couple shots. A man standing in the yard yelled down, ‘Come on up the driveway, I’ll put the dog in and open the gate!’ So I did. I met Red and Frankie whose whole place was simply mind boggling in scope and variety of found objects. The collections were amazing, every where one looked there was more to be enjoyed. Red led me around their place explaining the various types of logging equipment, showing me photos of his dad (now I can’t recall his name) but a life long logger, who won ‘Bull of the Woods,’ at the King County Fair in Enumclaw. Photos of Red and a friend, champs at the railroad handcar races locally as well. There also was equipment his granddad designed, made and used to hold the
huge hand saws (buck saws?) while he sharpened them. Amazing that two men would use these saws to cut trees as big as ten to twelve feet in diameter, by hand no less, prior to the use of chain saws. Red had a old chain saw that his dad used in the woods, that had a bar that was easily four to five feet long! Besides all of the many and various types of logging equipment (including some of the oldest and biggest chain saws I’ve ever seen!), there were collections of blow torches, glass juicers, glass insulators, cookie jars, dolls, christmas decorations, Avon bottles, Jim Beam bottles, beer cans, lanterns and much more! It was a delightful hour or two with two very nice, interesting and knowledgeable people about their interests. They’ve invited me back to Starvation Valley anytime, ‘Bring your husband,’ they said! I will, I think I will.
