THE OPEN DOOR CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF DEER PARK, WA.
W.H. Short and his family were responsible for building the Open Door Congregational Church in Deer Park. His son wrote a history of the Deer Park Congregational Church in 1971 that includes much information about his father's family, business and the history of Deer Park. Most of the pictures in this album were sent to the church in a package.
A part of the story not illustrated in this photo album is the sale of W.H. Short's lumber mill in 1914 to the partnership of Wilson and Leuthold which in turn became known as "DEER PARK PINE LUMBER COMPANY".
A part of the story not illustrated in this photo album is the sale of W.H. Short's lumber mill in 1914 to the partnership of Wilson and Leuthold which in turn became known as "DEER PARK PINE LUMBER COMPANY".
In 1909 the Congregational Church had been remodeled so that the front of the church faced Main Avenue. This is the front of the program for the consecration of the church at that time.
An early picture of the town of Deer Park about the time the Congregational Church organization was formed on November 8, 1891.
Not much has changed in the appearance of the Congregational Church as this contemporaty picture shows. The congregation has been blessed with pastors that have been influential community leaders.
The second Short boarding house.
One of the pictures of virgin timber in the Deer Park area, This is white pine that W.H. Short's son wrote that was made into toothpicks. It was also made into finish trim molding.
Mr. & Mrs. Evan Enoch who homsteaded a tract just 1/2 mile northwest of the new saw mill site on Dragoon Creek. Mr Enoch was entrusted to run one of Short's mills for a time.
It seems this lumber mill was no fly by night operation by any stretch of imagination.
This is the original Congregational Open Door Church built in 1896. It faced west and the present Railroad Avenue.
" General Electric Co's " 500 K,W. Steam Turbine.
Standard Lumber Company's new Deer Park saw mill from across the Arcadia Orchard irrigation reservoir/mill pond.
Timber along an unidentified stream somewhere near Deer Park.
Some stands were all one species. Others were predominantly Ponderosa Pine, larch, white pine, red fir, or cedar, all native to the region.
Air drying lumber, possibly near the first Short saw mill west of the Congragational Church and the Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad's tracks.
Stands of timber were cruised prior to purchase. W.H. Short was a shrewd timber purchaser and owned much timber land even after selling the business in 1914.
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A deer in the woods. Deer Park was supposedly named by Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad surveyors for all the deer they saw as they surveyed the route through the area.
Post Card Photo of the Open Door Congregational Church
The saw mill that W.H. Short built required a relatively large number of employees. Travel from their farms was slow and many saw mill workers had no farm houses so a boarding house was built. This picture is of the first Short boarding house. Short and many of his immediate family members are in this early 1890's picture.
From time to time the Open Door performs funeral services. Here lies Alwood Aamodt in the Congregational Church sanctuary before his funeral. It is our prayer that the Lord loved him as much as his fellow men did.
A picture of west coast timber that W.H. Short took on one of his travels around northwest United States.
A load of logs being delivered to the Onion Creek saw mill that Short purchased.
Many pictures in this collection show the new mill being constructed of steel beams and brick siding.
One wonders what foundry was responsible for such workmanship. Short purchased some of the finest machinery available for his mill.
Wick's Brothers’ water tube boiler.
Gang saw & Diamond edger.
An unidentified small saw mill which Short purchased in additionto the big one he built in Deer Park.
A group of unidentified mill workers.
Massive stands of timber in every direction, prime for logging and logging they did.
This is "Old Buck", the steam traction engine W.H. Short purchased to haul logs from the woods to the mill. It was easily stuck in mud and was replaced by Short building the Deer Park Central Railroad north of Deer Park 6 miles towards Garden Spot.
A rare picture of a virgin stand of Ponderosa Pine timber. Note the open park-like areas underneath the tree foliage. Nothing like the brush in today's forests!
Another unidentified small saw mill in the area between Spokane and Colville.
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