The world’s second largest Log Cabin was described as a Cathedral of Trees. Hi everyone,
Ken Here, welcome to "ThisHouse" !! Today we set off to Portland,
Oregon to discover what happened to the world’s second largest Log Cabin. Make sure
to hit that subscribe button so you never miss a fascinating episode of "ThisHouse"
Around the turn of the century, American cities were competing with each other,
using their architecture to convey wealth and status, showcasing their
communities’ abilities to establish and maintain societies in the new world.
As Portland, Oregon’s 1905 Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition approached,
many businesses and trades banned together to flaunt their capabilities.
That’s when architect Ion Lewis conceived of the idea to create a cathedral of trees,
sometimes referring to his plans as the “Parthenon of Oregon.”
The lumber barons of the time were greatly impressed by his plans and began throwing
money at the project. The colossal project would be named, “The Forestry Building.”
Construction started in 1905, requiring that logs measuring 52 feet long by 6 feet wide be chopped
down and transported to the construction site with their bark still intact. Each one of these logs,
if milled into standard 2 by 4s could have supplied 13 linear miles of lumber. The largest
of the logs was estimated to weigh in between 27 and 32 tons. They were arranged on site in
a cruciform plan, reminiscent of Catholic Cathedrals with a interior nave flanked by
a colonnade of 54 giant logs illuminated by the suns rays touching their bark through skylights.
The interior became a museum of Forestry and Logging practices,
demonstrating through the use of miniatures how trees would be transported and milled
before becoming the buildings we see around us in our cities. These displays were accented by
trophies to showcase native wildlife and fauna. The entire exhibit was highly educational, even
attempting to teach the Native American History of Oregon through interactive pottery displays.
Even as the fair came to an end, popularity for the world’s second largest log cabin
never diminished. People visited from all around the world to bask in the glory nature’s chapel,
marveling at the shear scale and proportions of the building.
The Forestry Building spent many decades serving the public, surviving small fires throughout the
years, withstanding the forces of nature. But by the 1950s, it required extensive maintenance
to ensure that it would continue to stand for future generations. Money was raised by the
Chamber of Commerce and it was restored, stronger than ever, drawing even more visitors every year.
Then the unthinkable happened, On the evening of August 17th, 1964 just after the
curator had closed the doors for the night, nearby residents noticed smoke in the air.
As the fire department arrived, the Forestry Building was ablaze. Flames shot up a reported
10 stories in the air, with ash traveling over 1 mile away. The sky lit up, creating
an artificial day with the extreme temperatures damaging buildings on the other side of the park.
The fire department attempted to quell the flames, but these ancient logs were
just too powerful of a fuel, and they could not safely gain proximity to stop the fire.
In the aftermath, as people began searching through the ashes,
it was found that all had been lost. The Native American pottery, old logging machines,
photographs, the strongest evidences of Oregon’s history in Forestry were all consumed by flame.
The following day, as the community discussed their loss, new plans were laid out to continue
the Forestry Building’s legacy with the creation of the World Forestry Center,
an educational non-profit to continue Oregon’s Logging Legacy.
If you are watching this video, and are one of the lucky few who was alive while it was
still standing and had the chance to visit, I would love to read about your memories
down below in the comments section. And while you’re there, make sure to hit that subscribe
button so you never miss an exciting episode of "ThisHouse" I would also like to take a moment
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