KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST

IN 1975 THE KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST WAS OUR EMPLOYER FOR SEVERAL YEARS DURING GRADUATE SCHOOL. I GOT A JOB WITH THE FOREST ON THE KLAMATH RIVER DISTRICT, AND MY HUSBAND GOT SOME WORK CONTRACTING WITH VARIOUS MINERS AND OTHER FOLKS IN THE NEARBY AREAS. IN FACT, I DECIDED TO COMPLETE MY THESIS ON THE WAYS WE SURVEYED FOR HISTORIC AND PREHISTORIC SITES ON THE GOOSENEST RANGER DISTRICT. I WAS A SUPERVISOR OF THE CREW AND WE HAD 1000'S OF ACRES TO SURVEY. WE FIRST HAD TO PREPARE A PREFIELD SURVEY AND THEN DETERMINE IF THERE WERE ANY ROADS OR TRAILS OR FLAT TERRACES WHERE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES WOULD BE. AFTER WE MARKED THESE AREAS ON A MAP WE DECIDED TO PLAN OUR SURVEY LOCATIONS IN THE MEADOWS AND IN THE FORESTS. SOMETIMES OUR CREW SEPARATED AND SOMETIMES WE STAYED TOGETHER. WE SURVEYED ABOUT 5 TIMBER SALES THERE. I CHOSE THE LAVA TIMBER SALE AS MY THESIS AREA. WE FOUND NUMEROUS PREHISTORIC SITES AS WELL AS HISTORIC LOGGING RAILROADS AND SMALL TEMPORARY CAMPS WHERE THE MEN ATE AND THREW THEIR CANS OF BEER AND PLATES OUT. WE RECORDED ALL OF THESE IN MUCH DETAIL.

MY THESIS WAS ABOUT THE EFFICIENCY OF SURVEYING AND RECORDING SITES IN HEAVILY FORESTED AREAS. I FINISHED WRITING MY THESIS IN SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE MY HUSBAND AND I HAD OUR OWN ARCHAEOLOGY BUSINESS. I COMPARED THE EFFICIENCY OF USING AERIAL PHOTOS, PREFIELD RESEARCH AND PLANNING SURVEY AREAS FOR LOCATING BOTH PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC SITES. MY SUPERVISOR WAS VERY PICKY ABOUT REVIEWING MY THESIS. HOWEVER, I WENT TO PHOENIX TO DEFEND IT AND IT WENT WELL.

WE LIVED IN A SMALL HOUSE IN TENNANT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THIS TOWN WITH OTHER HOUSES THAT WERE LOADED ON A RAILROAD CAR. IT HAD ONLY A WOOD BURNING STOVE FOR HEAT AND FOR COOKING. WE KEPT OUR DOG ON A CHAIN AND SHE RAN ALONG OUR CLOTHES LINE.

MY HUSBAND AND I MOVED BACK TO PHOENIX WITH OUR DOG. I FINALLY WORKED WITH THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND HE STUDIED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY. WE LOST OUR DOG!