loghall.html

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., November 6, 1975, page 11

APPLETON'S OLD LOG HALL TO BE RESTORED?
by Pete May

The most unique building in Klickitat County, and perhaps Washington State, appears headed for better times -- a new roof at least -- as a result of community and county action at a Park Board meeting held last Wednesday at Appleton.
"The old Log Hall at Appleton," built about 1912 has come to be a problem in recent years. Its roof had deteriorated to the point of leaking badly and threatening to ruin the 36x66 open floor as well as hasten rotting of the bottom logs. A new roof was agreed to at the meeting, with the Park Board offering to match any local contributions to provide a $1,200 fund purchase cedar shakes. Local residents pledged labor to apply the roof.
The Park Board had scheduled its meeting at Appleton and had asked interested local citizens to attend. They were surprised to find almost the entire population of the small community gathered, when they arrived for the meeting.
Local sentiment was expressed by Steve Graves: We want to see a new roof put on, simply to preserve the old hall as an historic landmark. An awful lot of people in this county have fond memories of that old building and want to see it continue to stand there, used or not, until it dies a natural death."
Others agreed, saying, "It isn't going to go anywhere but down -- into the ground -- and that will take a long time," Both the local residents and Park Board members who examined the building agreed it is firmly braced and not likely to be a hazard for years to come. It is built of logs 18-24 inches in diameter laid up in notched corner style, with large sawed lumber used as vertical braces at intervals on the walls.
The community residents got together and named three men to head local drives for the restoration. They are: Louis Nagle, fund drive chairman; Lester Jewell, work chairman: and Phillip Tuthill, material chairman. All three said they will accept donations of any amount or kind from any source.
Whether the work can be done yet this fall is questionable. Some at the meeting thought cedar logs could be obtained for home manufacture of shakes, which would probably result in longer time being necessary. In any event, it was agreed the work will be done as soon as is practical.
Donations of any kind should be addressed to the men named above, address, Appleton, Wa. 98602.

Above - a corner of the Old Log Hall.
These logs are 14-16 inches in diameter.

Above - an interior view of the Old Log Hall.

These photographs were taken in November 1999.