Sol G. Simpson and his family moved to Mason County in 1887, where Simpson worked laying ties and rails for the Port Blakely Mill Company's logging railroad. He formed S. G. Simpson Company in Matlock in 1890. Three of Simpson's brothers joined him in Mason County, and two of them worked for him. Simpson Logging Company opened its first sawmill, the Reed Mill, at Shelton in 1925. Numerous other mills and logging operations along the West Coast have been acquired by Simpson over the years. [Source: James, David. Grisdale: Last of the Logging Camp. Fairfield, Washington: Ye Galleon Press, 1986.].]
Camp nos. 1 and 2 were absorbed into Camp 3, which was located 17 miles north of Shelton on the upper Skokomish Valley, by West Lake. The camp was in existence from 1930 to 1947. Railcar bunkhouses are in the foreground, and the office and cookhouse are in the center of the picture. In the background are some of the 43 family homes and the school house.
Kinsey Brothers Photographs of the Lumber Industry, 1890-1945
