Camp 6 Logging Museum facts for kids
The Camp 6 Logging Museum was a special place in Tacoma, Washington. It was located on a 14-acre (57,000 m2) forested area inside Point Defiance Park. This museum showed what a real logging camp looked like and how people used to cut down trees to get wood.
It was started in 1964 by people from the logging industry in Washington State. They wanted to create a replica, which is like a copy, of a working logging camp. This included a railroad that connected the work areas with the places where the loggers lived.
The museum was also a National Registered Historic Place. This means it was recognized as an important historical site. It had several old buildings and more than 500 tons of railroad and logging equipment. Many of these machines were powered by steam, which was a common way to make things move a long time ago.
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What Happened to Camp 6 Logging Museum?
From 1989 to 2010, the museum was run by the Tacoma Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Many dedicated volunteers helped keep it going. They relied on donations from people and companies to pay for everything.
Sadly, Camp 6 closed in December 2010. This happened because they ran out of money from public and private donations. It was a tough decision, but they could no longer afford to keep the museum open.
Where Did the Equipment Go?
After the museum closed, all the amazing equipment found new homes. During 2011 and 2012, these historic machines were moved to other museums. They went to places in Washington, Oregon, and California.
For example, a special train engine called the Pacific Coast Shay Lima #3346 went to the Roots of Motive Power Museum in California. A large machine called the Weyerhaeuser No.3 Lidgerwood Tower Skidder also moved there. Some of the old bunk houses and bunk cars, where the loggers used to sleep, moved to the Mt Rainier Scenic Railroad in Washington.
Other items, like the Rayioneer Photo Collection, went to the Polson Museum in Hoquiam, Washington. The "Don Olson Art Collection" was given to the Weyerhaeuser Company Art Collection. This way, the history and the equipment could still be seen and enjoyed by others.
What Is the Site Used For Now?
After the equipment was moved, the museum site was cleaned up. In September 2012, the land was given back to Metro Parks Tacoma.
From 2015 to 2016, the site became a temporary home for the Science And Math Institute (SAMI). This is a special high school in the Tacoma School District. SAMI gives students an exciting education focused on science and math. The school uses the unique setting of Point Defiance Park to make learning even better.
As of 2023, SAMI has a permanent building near where Camp 6 used to be, close to the zoo. The Metro Parks Board Of Directors still needs to decide what the future holds for the old Camp 6 site.
See also
- Logging camp
