Elevator Shaft to the Buick

[Chase]

Not much to report, really. Just had a nice day out yesterday exploring the basin above the shaft. Looked for the "vertical cabin" and could not find a trace of it. Then I looked for the old Buick and found that one without much difficulty.

[Billri9685]

Nice! I always love finding stuff like that in the woods.

[200,000']

Good pics!

[Don Nelsen]

A few notes about the Buick for those new to the site or this subject:

In the 1890's homesteaders settled in the Multnomah basin, built homes, cleared it and farmed and raised a few farm animals. Some of the family names were Gordon, Petersen, Pau and Teuscher. Edward Arrington was one of the last to build a home in the Basin. Pau built a road connecting the RR grades to connect the families to the rest of the world. That road is the still used Multnomah Basin Road. The last of the settlers moved on by the late 20's or 30's and the very last resident, the reclusive Mabel Arrington, died of natural causes and her body was found along a trail in the basin. (Her ghost can be seen about dusk while you hike in to find the Buick - especially if it's a bit foggy) Anyway, I digress!

The basin road was still able to be used by the general public for some time after that and there was some limited second growth logging and firewood gathering I have been told. This rest is from a word of mouth story told to me by a man I met about 8 or 9 years ago while I was off-trail hiking higher up on Larch Mountain. We were both exploring an ancient logging skid road and there are few folks who do that so we struck up a conversation and the talk drifted to the subject of the basin: He asked if I had spotted any of the old cars still up there though he said he wasn't sure if they were still there. I admitted I had not but my interest was surely piqued. I got his contact info and we parted but over the next few weekends I criss-crossed the basin looking for any and everything: I found the Buick!. I contacted the man I met and we both went in there to see it and then he told me his story:

Cars with straight eight engines like Buick's had made pretty good power plants for portable sawmill devices somewhat common at the time and that is probably what the Buick was used for. Once the work was done, it was abandoned to the elements and there it remains to this day.

He said he had seen the car back in about 1970 while in high school on a hike with a group and decided the engine would be a good trophy for the automotive classes he was taking. He said he hiked over to Nesika, "requisitioned" their firewood cart, removed the engine and attempted to haul it out on the cart. Bad idea: Terrain was too rough, engine too heavy and so he removed the cylinder head, covered up the rest with brush and planned to go back later and get the rest. He could never relocate it and that was that. Of course, hearing about the rest of the engine still sitting on a firewood cart I was back in there asap: Found it - 500 feet away and appearing untouched since he left it over 35 years before. Here it is:



Here's the firewood cart next to the engine:



Just thought you would be interested.

Don

[aircooled]

I tracked down the VIN once - I believe it's a 1931 Buick.

[200,000']

Don, that is an Amazing story!

[Peder]

Thanks for the complete story Don and thank you Chase for the TR!

[Don Nelsen]

I tracked down the VIN once - I believe it's a 1931 Buick.

Yep, you are correct - where did you find a VIN database? I couldn't locate one and had to use the combination of sheet metal patterns, hubcap shape and the pin striping on the one remaining wooden spoke wheel to verify the year and model.

Don

[Roy]

I tracked down the VIN once - I believe it's a 1931 Buick.

Yep, you are correct - where did you find a VIN database? I couldn't locate one and had to use the combination of sheet metal patterns, hubcap shape and the pin striping on the one remaining wooden spoke wheel to verify the year and model.

Don

Don great info you remind me of my uncle in Iowa with your love of the gorge.He was the same way with the Little Sioux valley when I visited he always took me and told me the history of how the Sioux wintered there in the valleys of the small hills. He always made my cousins and I give arrowheads and stuff we found to the museum. My Mom,Dad and and him bought up land in those hills and it is now a park and preserve.My parents are buried in small town close by next to him.

We need people to keep interest in these things or its gone for good.

[Guy]

Thanks Chase & Don for the background, I hadn't heard about the firewood cart!

Now Chase, what is the "Vertical Cabin"?