Highlights In the Museum's History

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1968
Rodney Richard, Sr. collects first major piece of equipment for RLRLM. A Brown Paper Company foreman was about to push an old snubbing machine over the bank. "If you're going to do that," Rodney said, "I'll take it home with me." And he did.

Early 1970s
Rodney talks to several individuals and organizations in Rangeley about helping with a logging museum. In Fall 1975, he and Peggy Yocom of the Smithsonian talk with the Historical Society.

1979
Incorporation of the Rangeley Lakes Region Logging Museum, a non-profit organization. Board of Directors: Robert Beal, Edwina Green, Lawrence Haines, Barbara Jones, Elliot Raymond, John Richard, and Rodney Richard, Sr.

July 1980
Demonstration by Woodsmen's Team of the University of Maine, Orono, on Rodney and Lucille's front lawn, Main Street, Rangeley.

14 August 1981
1st Festival. Logging Museum Field Day, Hinkley Field. Demonstrations on care and handling of equipment, such as chain saws. Chainsaw carving by Rodney Richard. Instructions on filing saws for "weekend wood cutters." Loggers competition, childrens' games. 10 am to 5 pm.

31 July 1982
2nd Festival. Beanhole beans first served at the Festival by Irving White with the help of Wayne and Emmie White of Carthage. Tiger White, Irving's brother from Carthage, bakes the reflector-oven biscuits.

30 July 1983
3rd Festival. Logging Museum Field Day, Hinkley Field. First parade.

27, 28 July 1984
4th Festival. First two-day event.

26, 27 July 1985
5th Festival. First Friday night program: First Loggers Hall of Fame: Raymond Belisle, James Carter, Delbert Green (awarded posthumously), Donald C. Morton. First Little Miss Woodchip, Pamela Haley.

June 1986
Museum buys an 18 acre site in Dallas Plantation.

27 August 1987
Carl Lewin draws up final plans for the Museum site and building.

Spring 1988
M&H completes all the heavy grading of the site. D.C. Morton provides their equipment for the finish grading. H&W Ferguson excavates the basement and foundation.

29, 30 July 1988
8th Festival. First festival at Museum site.

Spring 1989
Foundation and basement are constructed. Framing and decking installed for first floor.

April 1990
Volunteers erect the framing for the second floor. Work continues throughout summer to enclose the building.

Fall 1990
Museum employs G&H Haley to put up the rafters and install the roof and six skylights of the Museum building. After a decade of dreams and hard work, the Museum's main building stands.

26, 27 July 1991
11th Festival. Alden Grant first exhibits his nineteen paintings of logging in the Kennebago area in the Museum building.

Spring 1992
Work on the building siding begins.

1992
Museum purchases the paintings of Alden Grant.

October 1993
First Apple Festival.

June 1994
Electricity comes to the Museum building, cooksheds.

29, 30 July 1994
14th Festival. Museum publishes Logging in the Maine Woods: The Paintings of Alden Grant by Peggy Yocom, Steve Richard.

Fall 1994
Frank Hutchinson of Carthage donates "Muscles," Tiger White's handcrafted forerunner of the skidder.

July 1995
Flooring finished on main and upper floors of Museum. Stairways, railings installed. Office finished. Wiring installed in main floor.

28, 29 July 1995
15th Festival. Museum dedicates its new sign to Lawrence Haines, charter member of the Museum who passed away 1 March 1995.

Dr. and Mrs. Donald Bowen donate his journal about his years (1941-42) as doctor for the Brown Co. Magalloway lumbercamps.

26, 27 July 1996
16th Festival. Museum dedicates display case to William Richard, woodsman and fantower carver. Museum purchases model logging sleds of Carl Trafton.

July 1997
Water comes to Museum building.

25, 26 July 1997
17th Festival. John & Jackie Tyler donate half-scale model wagon sled. Museum exhibits Richardson Lake logging photographs donated by Allan Fraser.

24, 25 July 1998
18th Festival. Museum exhibits photographs on "Muscles," the forerunner of the skidder, invented by Elijah "Tiger" White.