Wisconsin Thematic Panel 207-215

Image

The log who was made King of Logs is here entombedeight round, ten longFor his design, the strengthened forestcapriciously outgrew them all,outlived the settlers, the sinning, the pure at heart,and built an awesome MajestyHuge log attracts a loyal fan clubHORSHESHOE BEND Idaho (AP) — Sawmills turn logs into lumber and sawmill towns depend on that for their livelihood. But Horseshoe Bend has adopted a pine log as a mascot and doesn't want it cut up. It is a big log: 400 years old, 2 tons, 33 feet long, 6 feet 4 inches in diameter, valued at $2,000 and could provide enough lumber to build three houses. Boise Cascade Corp. was so proud of it when it was hauled in two weeks ago that it left the log sitting outside the mill as a temporary tourist attraction. But the residents of the town quickly adopted the log as a symbol of their determination, and they want Boise Cascade to keep the log intact and on display. "It gives something for the people to look at when they come through town," said Police Chief Chuck McConnell. "We've had a log of tourists come and take pictures of it with their kids." Backers of the preservation drive have already gathered 185 petition signatures from the town's 700 people. Company officials say the log still is likely to become lumber, though they might preserve a cross-section to show its growth rings. "We are a little surprised," said John Bender, manager of Boise Cascade's Idaho region. "We have hundreds of logs going through there, but for some reason people have grown attached to this particular log."