Well now, let me tell ya ’bout this Hult Log Storage Pond Dam, somethin’ that folks don’t talk ’bout too much, but it’s got a whole lotta history behind it. Back in the day, in the 1930s or 1940s, they built this here earthen embankment dam. It weren’t no fancy thing like them concrete dams you see nowadays, just dirt and rocks piled up high to hold water. The reason they built it, see, was to store logs for the Hult Lumber Company sawmill, which was real important at the time. They needed a place to keep all them logs safe and dry until they was ready to be sawed up into lumber.
Now, this here Hult Log Storage Pond, it’s still standin’ today, though it’s not quite what it used to be. They call it a “remnant log storage pond” now, which means it’s still there, but it ain’t workin’ like it used to. The pond’s not used for the same sawmill operations no more, but it still holds a lotta history for them who know where to look. The dam was built in 1948, and back then, it sure was a big deal for the folks in the area.
Some folks still call it the Hult Pond Dam, and others call it Hult Reservoir. There’s also people who know it as Horton Lake, Hult Marsh, or even Mill Pond. I reckon it depends on who you ask, but all them names point to the same place. This here pond and the dam were real important for the logging business in the early 1900s, when timber was the lifeblood of the community. It was all about them logs – gettin’ ’em stored up and ready to ship out to sawmills where they could be turned into lumber for houses and other things. In them days, logging was big business and this pond helped keep things runnin’ smooth.
The dam itself is what’s known as a gravity dam, which means it relies on its own weight to hold back the water. Ain’t no fancy pumps or machines, just good old-fashioned dirt and stone, piled up high enough to keep the water in place. It’s located in Horton, Oregon, over in Lane County. If you’re ever in that neck of the woods, you might pass by it, though it ain’t much to look at these days. Still, it’s a reminder of them times when logging was a big part of life around there.
As for the folks who manage the place now, that’d be the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM. They’re the ones who make sure the dam stays safe and sound, even if it don’t see much action anymore. They keep track of it and make sure the whole area stays nice for folks who might want to visit or go fishin’. It’s still a bit of a hidden gem, you might say, a place that some folks know about but not too many folks talk about. It’s a peaceful spot now, surrounded by trees and wildlife, but back in the day, it was a busy place full of sawmill workers and loggers comin’ and goin’ all day long.
If you ever get the chance, you should go check it out, though. It’s got that old-time charm, even if it’s just sittin’ there as a reminder of how things used to be. Ain’t no harm in takin’ a little stroll ‘round the place, maybe throw a line in the water if you like fishin’. Who knows, you might even see some critters out there, like ducks or beavers, makin’ the best of what’s left of the old log pond.
So, to sum it up, the Hult Log Storage Pond Dam is a piece of history that don’t get much attention nowadays. Built for the Hult Lumber Company, it’s still standin’ as a reminder of those busy logging days. Whether you call it Hult Pond, Hult Marsh, or Horton Lake, it’s a spot that has seen a lotta change over the years. But still, it’s worth a visit if you’re ever nearby. Just don’t go expectin’ much more than a quiet, peaceful place to reflect on them old days of timber and sawmills.
Tags:[Hult Log Storage Pond, Hult Pond Dam, Hult Lumber Company, Horton Lake, Hult Reservoir, Oregon Logging History, Gravity Dam, Lane County, Bureau of Land Management, Historical Sites in Oregon]