Forks Timber Museum director Linda Offutt presents Richard Halverson with the Pioneer Logger award at the West End Business & Professional Association meeting Wednesday at the Forks Congregational Church. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)

Forks Timber Museum director Linda Offutt presents Richard Halverson with the Pioneer Logger award at the West End Business & Professional Association meeting Wednesday at the Forks Congregational Church. (Lonnie Archibald/for Peninsula Daily News)

Forks Pioneer Logger award-winner recalls cold, wet work

Richard Halverson now a logging tour volunteer

FORKS — So you want to be a logger?

According to Richard Halverson, this year’s Hickory Shirt/Heritage Days Pioneer Logger Award recipient, stand in a 50-degree shower for four hours, eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich — which you have had in your pocket — and then stand in the cold shower for another four hours. If you like that, then come back the next day and you, too, can be a logger.

Halverson, 74, was given the award by the West End Business & Professional Association on Wednesday.

The Hickory Shirt/Heritage Days festival continues through Sunday.

Halverson was born in Forks and, after graduating from high school, spent some time in the Army. His first job in the woods was with Edward’s and Rhyne Logging Co.

Halverson, who most people know as “Squat,” started out setting chokers, but while working in the cold rain, he noticed that the guys operating the machines had it way better.

So it wasn’t long before he learned to run a yarder and log loader.

His next job lasted 35 years with Dahlgren Logging of Forks.

Halverson said his most interesting experience of his logging career was when Dahlgren’s packed up and moved their operations to Mount St. Helens in 1981, soon after the mountain’s big eruption on May 18, 1980.

Halverson remembers the area like a moonscape on one side and the regular lush green forest on the other.

“We salvaged timber for about three years, working in the ash. We were there long enough to see the plants, like dandelions and other small weeds, start to come back. Even the elk started to return,” Halverson said.

Halverson has “retired” multiple times, the first time from Dahlgren’s in 2000. He then got a call from Dean Hurn of Hoh River Timber, and returned to loading logs for another 10 years. He most recently retired from working for Randy Parker, helping with road building and other tasks as needed.

The need for a new ankle finally retired him for good but it didn’t slow him down much.

Since his most recent retirement, Halverson has taken to volunteering as one of the Forks Chamber of Commerce’s Logging and Mill Tour guides.

Halverson has plenty of stories to share with those that take the long-running tours that tell the story of the timber and mill industry in the West End.

“I like to volunteer for the community. I get it from my mom. She was in everything,” Halverson said.

Halverson’s mother was “Halvey,” a long-time 4-H leader, active with the Clallam County Fair and with many other West End organizations.

Halverson said his late wife Andi also liked to volunteer. Halverson lost Andi just this past August.

Halverson was also a Clallam County District 1 fire commissioner for 20 years. He now also serves on the board for the Forks Timber Museum.

Museum director Linda Offutt said, “If we need new picnic tables, or signs at the museum, Richard is there to do it, bam. …We have new picnic tables. We appreciate his help so much.”

Halverson wore his hickory shirt when he recently attended a grandchild’s graduation ceremony at Western Washington University.

“I wanted to show I had graduated with a logging degree,” he said.

For a schedule of Hickory Shirt/Heritage Days activities through Sunday, see today’s Arts & Entertainment section in the Peninsula Daily News.

________

Christi Baron is the editor of the Forks Forum, which is part of the Olympic Peninsula News Group, composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at cbaron@forksforum.com.

More in News

Port Angeles teachers’ union votes to honor paraeducators’ picket line on April 8

Members of the Port Angeles Education Association voted overwhelmingly… Continue reading

Funding needed for Port Townsend homeless shelter

Operation at Legion Hall to close April 30

Port of Port Angeles renews lease for Composite Recycling Technology Center

Agreement covers 26,000 square feet at airport business park

Fire district volunteers lauded

Clallam County Fire District No. 3 recently recognized seven members… Continue reading

Clallam to continue providing deputy to Forks

Contract includes wages, mileage and maintenance reimbursement

Maintenance closes section of Olympic Discovery Trail

A portion of the Olympic Discovery Trail is closed… Continue reading

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif., members of the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and working with the Jefferson County Noxious Weed Board, remove poisonous hemlock weed from along the Larry Scott Trail in Port Townsend on Monday. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Poison hemlock removal in Port Townsend

Hanna Paoluccu of Alexander, N.Y., and Rosie Berg of Nevada City, Calif.,… Continue reading

YMCA to build childcare facility

$1-2M still needed for $6.7M project

Port Townsend Police Department recognizes award recipients

The Port Townsend Police Department recognized officers, employees, volunteers… Continue reading

Port Angeles High School evacuated due to bomb threat

Nothing suspicious found, principal says

A tree that has grown out of its tree box and shattered a nearby curb and sidewalk in the 100 block of North Oak Street is among those targeted for removal and replacement in downtown Port Angeles. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Port Angeles tree and sidewalk replacement to begin Monday

The Port Angeles downtown tree and sidewalk replacement project… Continue reading

Grant for Forks treatment plant to be discussed

The Clallam County Opportunity Fund Advisory Board will discuss… Continue reading