50 Years at the Cloquet Forest Research Center

Abstract

This is the story of the first fifty years (1909-1959) of the Cloquet Forest Research Center (now the Cloquet Forestry Center), as recorded by T. Schantz-Hansen circa 1960 in 31 typed pages. It summarizes the events and personnel involved with establishing the Center, early research and management activities on the forest, the nursery program, and personnel involved over the years, including lists of superintendents, foremen, student workers. The narrative includes many mentions of forest fire, the causes of fire, which was most often railroads, berry pickers, or picnickers, and the work that was done to create fire-lines for suppression and prevention efforts. The October 12, 1918 Cloquet fire is specifically mentioned as having not impacted the lands. It also summarizes the work conducted at the Center by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The origins of this document and if it was ever published are not totally clear. Even so, it provides the most succinct narrative of the history of the first 50 years. The author started work at the Center in 1919 and served as the lead administrator from 1923-1960. Two paper copies of this text have existed in the Forest Manager's file cabinets over the years. This is intended to be a digital archive of the paper copy that is thought to be the most complete version. It was scanned on July 17, 2020.