Flagstaff Mill: Additional Images

 Saginaw and Manistee Flagstaff, Arizona Mill; Additional Images

One of my recent posts focused on an image of the leased Flagstaff Mill. Additional research has uncovered a number of images from postcards and other sources. The images and postcards were purchased and are in the author's private collection. Where practical, I have included credits as to the original source. 

The two following images reveal a broader perspective of the mill in Flagstaff. In the first image, the big wheel logging cart or wagon is seen across the road, which is old route 66, on the west side of Flagstaff. None of the structures are currently in existence, with the exception of the cart which is now located at the Pioneer Museum. 

Postcard, Author's Collection. Published by Petley Studios, Phoenix Arizona. Photo by Carlos Elmer.

The above image reflects a robust operation at the millsite. A number of log cars, apparently steel fish-belly type flat cars, are at the mill. The Mill itself seems to be humming with activity and is in reasonably kept condition. Weeds seem to be the proper form of landscaping, as it appears in both images.


Postcard: Author's Collection, Published by Bradshaw's Color Studios, Sedona, Arizona. 

The second image shows the cart on the same side of the highway as the mill. A wonderous crop of weeds decorate the site, along with sunflowers, placing this sometime in late summer. The mill is showing signs of wear, and a notable lack of log cars. This probably was towards the end of operations, circa 1952. It is possible that on the extreme right of the image is the old stone-built office and headquarters of the original mill owners. This building still exists as a law office or some other business. In the background are the Kachina and San Francisco Peaks. 



Image; Photograph in Author's Collection. 
This image shows a different view of the mill, looking Northwest. As can be seen, the Saginaw proudly displayed ownership by the large sign. Car enthusiasts could identify the year, make and model of the vehicle in the image. I suspect this is at the end of the S&M lease of operations. Again, weeds proliferate the landscape. 

Coming soon will be additional images of the mill in Williams; one image may show the original power plant for the community of 'Williams, as well as a number of other surprises. I will first do a high-resolution scan and some detective work with the images to find additional details. 




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

COUGAR PARK, HELL CANYON BRANCHLINE; BARNEY FLATS: Recent Findings and Research

Image
  COUGAR PARK, HELL CANYON BRANCHLINE; BARNEY FLATS Recent Findings and Research COPYRIGHT; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (5/10/22)           The  spur starts at the intersection of FR3110 and Highway 73 (Perkinsville Road.) Satellite imaging shows the grade crossing Cougar Park, then entering Hell Canyon. This entire region is rugged, steep and challenging to traverse. Evidence indicates, from the numerous stump fields, that a centrally located spur might have existed in the Canyon.      Recent research, conducted in the field, and in the climate controlled archives at the Cline Library, NAU, have offered evidence that challenges my earlier view that a line existed within the confines of the canyon.     Field research, Forest Service maps, and satellite imaging confirms that a line did exist to the mouth of the Hell Canyon; it is a speculation as to how far it penetrated the area. Stump fields exist that tell a story of early logging methods, so some harvesting at an early date did take place.
Read more

THE SAGINAW AND MANISTEE LUMBER COMPANY MILL, WILLIAMS, ARIZONA 1893-1941 (Updated and Revised 7/2023)

Image
  THE SAGINAW AND MANISTEE LUMBER COMPANY MILL, WILLIAMS, ARIZONA  1893-1941   COPYRIGHT; ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (5/10/22) Updated and Revised 7/2023, including the Fire Department, The Roundhouse and Commissary                        An overview picture of Williams Township and the Mill, looking westward,                                circa 1920s. The town was situated on an East-West axis; the mill was on a more                          N or th-South axis. The mill site was just west of town.  (All Historic Photographs in this section, unless otherwise noted, are from the  Arizona Memory Project: Williams, Arizona Collection. A copy of the original scan is available at the Williams Historic Photo Project, located in Williams, Arizona.)   The year 1893 would be a pivotal time for the upstart community of Williams. Reports of tall stands of Ponderosa pine reached the desks of mid-west businessmen. Well-established and financially prosperous logging companies needed new sources of tim
Read more

SAGINAW AND MANISTEE FLAGSTAFF OPERATIONS: 1941-1952

Image
    SAGINAW AND MANISTEE FLAGSTAFF OPERATIONS: 1941-1952   On March 1, 1941, the Saginaw and Manistee leased the Arizona Lumber and Timber Company from manager Joe Dolan. The S&M had acquired vast timber holdings in the area of Mormon Lake; the lease of the AL&T allowed them to harvest these holdings.      The Saginaw extended the Howard Spring line an additional 14 miles to Allan Lake, located South of Mormon Lake.  The Allen Lake Line was essentially a steam engine powered, reasonably straight conveyor belt to and from the mill. With the exception of several short spurs and a "Y" near the southern end, the line was fed by trucks.   Mechanized logging had replaced the need to constantly relay spurs into the forest. A steady flow of quality timber was provided to the leased Flagstaff mill, and during WWII made a significant contribution to the war effort.     In October of 1944 the Saginaw and Manistee purchased its' first and only 2-6-6-2 articulated mallet locom
Read more