The Forks Loggers Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 25, 1992, in front of a crowd of approximately 500 people. The memorial contains names of about 600 deceased timber workers from the Olympic Peninsula.
This memorial had its beginning in the fall of 1987 when Wayne Queen died in a logging accident. Steve Poppe and Rick Butner had the idea to establish a Loggers Memorial. Funds were raised, but the project was set aside because the funds we had were not adequate to pay for the project we wanted.
Contributed photo
The Forks Logger’s Memorial committee is now chaired by Jo Marie Miller (center). Martha Paul (left) is a founder of the project and continues to serve on the committee. June Cassell (right) is also a founder, and is now retired from the committee.
In February 1991, a new committee was formed and work began to fall into place at last. Jan Westerlund was the chairman and Evelyn Bryson, June Cassell, Martha Paul and Lowell McQuaid were on the committee. As years went by, Evelyn Bryson was the chairman, with June Cassell and Martha Paul assisting. Both Evelyn’s and June’s husbands were loggers during part of their lives. Floyd Bryson and Ed Cassell helped Evelyn and June maintain the gardens. Dennis and Margaret Chastain carved out a 12-foot-tall statue of western red cedar for the memorial.
In order to nominate a deceased timber worker for name placement in the memorial pick up a form at the Forks Visitor Center located adjacent to the memorial, at Jerry’s Small Engines, at West End Motors or by calling Jo Marie Miller at 374-9832.. The fee for a plaque is $15.00. The current number of names honored are 723.
This has been a community project. The Loggers Memorial was built entirely with volunteer money, labor and materials.
Evelyn Bryson and June Cassell retired in 2010 after 20 years of service to the committee. Evelyn and Floyd Bryson both passed away recently. Evelyn was a dedicated worker and was very organized, and was our good friend. We deeply miss her.
Our new chairman is Jo Marie Dahlgren Miller with assistance by Martha Paul. June and Jo Marie and Martha like to have lunch and discuss their future plans for the memorial.
Forks Logger Memorial books are available in Forks at Chinook Pharmacy, the Forks Visitor Center, Forks Outfitters, and in Port Angeles at Olympic Stationers and Odyssey Book Shop.
