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The Cletrac and Its Role in Early Logging
Among the most iconic machines of early 20th-century logging was the Cletrac crawler tractor. Manufactured by the Cleveland Tractor Company, Cletrac machines were known for their compact design and dual-drum winch systems. These winches were often rigged to trees for yarding logs—a method where felled timber was dragged uphill using cables. The Cletrac’s rugged build and mechanical simplicity made it a favorite among small-scale “gypo” loggers during and after World War II. Operating one often required two people: a driver and a winch operator, leading to the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a “helper monkey” was needed to manage all the controls.
The Beloit Tree Harvester Was Decades Ahead of Its Time
One of the most intriguing machines from the early mechanized logging era was the Beloit Tree Harvester, developed in the early 1960s by Bob Larson in Minnesota. This machine was a prototype feller-buncher-delimber hybrid. It would clamp onto a standing tree, use a multi-section boom to delimb it while upright, lop off the top, shear the trunk at the base, and then stack the log in a pile. This process eliminated the need for multiple machines and manual labor, streamlining the entire harvesting cycle.
Despite its innovation, the Beloit Harvester never saw widespread adoption. Its complexity, cost, and the conservative nature of the logging industry at the time likely contributed to its limited production. However, it laid the groundwork for modern feller bunchers and harvesters used today in mechanized forestry.
The McGiffert Loader and Its Influence on Tower Skidders
Another rare sight was a preserved McGiffert loader, a piece of equipment that straddled railroad tracks and loaded logs onto railcars from above. This loader was a marvel of early 20th-century engineering and is believed to have influenced the design of later tower skidders, such as those produced by Lidgerwood. These machines revolutionized steep-slope logging by allowing logs to be yarded uphill using high-lead cable systems.
Restored Crawlers and Logging Trucks at Woodland and Collier Museums
In Woodland, California, the Heidrick Agricultural History Center houses a collection of beautifully restored crawler tractors and early logging trucks. These include rare serial-numbered machines and early Fageol-built Peterbilts—trucks that predate the modern Peterbilt brand. Meanwhile, near Klamath Falls, Oregon, the Collier Memorial State Park features an outdoor logging museum with dozens of vintage machines, including the Beloit Harvester and other obscure equipment.
Visitors to these museums often marvel at the sheer size of the logs once harvested and the primitive machines used to move them. One visitor recalled seeing pine logs so massive they dwarfed the trucks hauling them—testament to the scale of old-growth logging in the Pacific Northwest.
Preservation and Historical Significance
Preserving these machines is more than a nostalgic exercise. They represent the evolution of industrial forestry and the transition from manual labor to mechanized efficiency. Each machine tells a story of innovation, risk-taking, and adaptation in one of the most dangerous industries in North America.
To support preservation efforts:
The legacy of old logging iron is a tribute to the ingenuity and resilience of early loggers and engineers. Machines like the Cletrac, Beloit Harvester, and McGiffert loader were not just tools—they were milestones in the mechanization of forestry. Though many now sit silent in museums or overgrown lots, their stories continue to inspire those who appreciate the grit and innovation of the past.
Among the most iconic machines of early 20th-century logging was the Cletrac crawler tractor. Manufactured by the Cleveland Tractor Company, Cletrac machines were known for their compact design and dual-drum winch systems. These winches were often rigged to trees for yarding logs—a method where felled timber was dragged uphill using cables. The Cletrac’s rugged build and mechanical simplicity made it a favorite among small-scale “gypo” loggers during and after World War II. Operating one often required two people: a driver and a winch operator, leading to the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that a “helper monkey” was needed to manage all the controls.
The Beloit Tree Harvester Was Decades Ahead of Its Time
One of the most intriguing machines from the early mechanized logging era was the Beloit Tree Harvester, developed in the early 1960s by Bob Larson in Minnesota. This machine was a prototype feller-buncher-delimber hybrid. It would clamp onto a standing tree, use a multi-section boom to delimb it while upright, lop off the top, shear the trunk at the base, and then stack the log in a pile. This process eliminated the need for multiple machines and manual labor, streamlining the entire harvesting cycle.
Despite its innovation, the Beloit Harvester never saw widespread adoption. Its complexity, cost, and the conservative nature of the logging industry at the time likely contributed to its limited production. However, it laid the groundwork for modern feller bunchers and harvesters used today in mechanized forestry.
The McGiffert Loader and Its Influence on Tower Skidders
Another rare sight was a preserved McGiffert loader, a piece of equipment that straddled railroad tracks and loaded logs onto railcars from above. This loader was a marvel of early 20th-century engineering and is believed to have influenced the design of later tower skidders, such as those produced by Lidgerwood. These machines revolutionized steep-slope logging by allowing logs to be yarded uphill using high-lead cable systems.
Restored Crawlers and Logging Trucks at Woodland and Collier Museums
In Woodland, California, the Heidrick Agricultural History Center houses a collection of beautifully restored crawler tractors and early logging trucks. These include rare serial-numbered machines and early Fageol-built Peterbilts—trucks that predate the modern Peterbilt brand. Meanwhile, near Klamath Falls, Oregon, the Collier Memorial State Park features an outdoor logging museum with dozens of vintage machines, including the Beloit Harvester and other obscure equipment.
Visitors to these museums often marvel at the sheer size of the logs once harvested and the primitive machines used to move them. One visitor recalled seeing pine logs so massive they dwarfed the trucks hauling them—testament to the scale of old-growth logging in the Pacific Northwest.
Preservation and Historical Significance
Preserving these machines is more than a nostalgic exercise. They represent the evolution of industrial forestry and the transition from manual labor to mechanized efficiency. Each machine tells a story of innovation, risk-taking, and adaptation in one of the most dangerous industries in North America.
To support preservation efforts:
- Encourage local museums to document oral histories from retired loggers
- Digitize blueprints and manuals for rare machines
- Host vintage logging equipment shows to raise awareness
- Collaborate with historical societies to secure funding for restoration
The legacy of old logging iron is a tribute to the ingenuity and resilience of early loggers and engineers. Machines like the Cletrac, Beloit Harvester, and McGiffert loader were not just tools—they were milestones in the mechanization of forestry. Though many now sit silent in museums or overgrown lots, their stories continue to inspire those who appreciate the grit and innovation of the past.
