FlyMon Mill site: Difference between revisions
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|name=FlyMon Mill site | |name=FlyMon Mill site | ||
|location=Sisters RD, Deschutes NF | |location=Sisters RD, Deschutes NF | ||
}} | }} | ||
== History == | |||
The FlyMon Mill site orchard is associated with a '''small sawmill that operated in the late 1930s and into the 1940s''', located just west of Geneva on the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest. | |||
=== The Mill Era (1930s-1940s) === | |||
During the Depression years of the 1930s, Central Oregon's timber industry underwent significant changes. While large mills like Brooks-Scanlon and Shevlin-Hixon dominated production around Bend, smaller operations flourished in more remote areas.<ref name="timber">[https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/timber_industry/ Oregon Encyclopedia - Timber Industry]</ref> The introduction of motor trucks by 1938 made it economically viable to operate smaller, more portable mills in locations previously inaccessible by railroad. These small mills, sometimes called "gyppo" operations, were typically run by independent loggers with limited capital but considerable mechanical ingenuity. | |||
The FlyMon mill site was one such operation, positioned to harvest ponderosa pine from the surrounding Deschutes National Forest. According to Forest Service records, the site included living quarters for mill workers and their families - evidenced by the '''house ruin''' still visible behind the surviving apple tree today. Mill workers' families commonly planted fruit trees and vegetable gardens to supplement their provisions during the summer months when operations were active. | |||
=== Geographic Setting === | |||
The mill site is located near '''Fly Lake''' and '''Fly Creek''' in Jefferson County (Township 12S, Range 11E), within what is now the Sisters Ranger District. Fly Lake had been established as a Forest Service lookout point since 1934, with a tree platform lookout operational by 1941.<ref name="flylake">[https://oregonlookouts.weebly.com/fly-lake.html Oregon Lookouts - Fly Lake]</ref> The area saw considerable logging activity and road construction through the 1950s and 1960s. | |||
=== Geneva === | |||
The nearby community of '''Geneva''' served as a reference point for early Forest Service activities in this area. The mill site is located at the junction of roads 1129.870/1129.874, just west of Geneva. | |||
=== Site Description === | |||
Today, three apple trees stand behind what remains of a '''house ruin''', a testament to the families who lived and worked at this remote mill site. The site's coordinates are '''44.518701, -121.464776'''. | |||
=== DNA Analysis and Variety === | |||
DNA samples collected from the FlyMon tree (codes '''AFRS-001, AFRS-007, AFRS-009''') were analyzed as part of the Heritage Fruit Tree Project's genetic documentation effort. The analysis revealed: | |||
* '''Not matching any named cultivar''' in existing DNA databases | |||
* '''Ben Davis''' identified as one parent variety | |||
* Other parent closest to '''Reinette Franche descendants''' - typical old U.S. germplasm | |||
This indicates the FlyMon tree is likely either a '''seedling''' grown from seed rather than a grafted named variety, or possibly a named variety whose identity has been lost to time. Ben Davis was one of the most important commercial apple varieties of the late 1800s and early 1900s, known as a "mortgage lifter" for its reliable production and excellent keeping qualities.[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Davis_(apple) Wikipedia - Ben Davis apple] | |||
The fact that all three trees' DNA samples (AFRS-001, AFRS-007, AFRS-009) are identical suggests they came from the same parent tree, confirming this is a single variety - just one whose name remains unknown. | |||
=== Preservation Efforts === | |||
On '''November 4, 2019''', scions were collected from these trees for preservation at the '''[[Clarno Arboretum]]'''. The collection was coordinated by '''Chris Jensen''' with '''Beth Johnson''' and '''Mike Boero'''. Field notes indicate the tree was in fair condition - it had been "day lighted" (had competing vegetation removed) the previous season and could benefit from pruning and revitalization. | |||
The scions have been grafted into rootstock at the Clarno nursery, ensuring this unique genetic heritage is preserved even if the original tree should be lost. | |||
=== Historical Significance === | |||
The FlyMon Mill site represents an important aspect of Central Oregon's industrial heritage - the small, family-operated sawmills that supplemented larger timber operations during the Depression and World War II eras. The apple tree, likely planted by a mill worker's family in the late 1930s or early 1940s, serves as living testimony to the domestic life that existed alongside these remote industrial operations. | |||
=== Primary Sources === | |||
The following historical documents are available: | |||
* [[:File:CRNG Apple Orchard Legacy Map 2 2001 Duane Ecker.pdf|Legacy orchard map (2001)]] | |||
=== References === | |||
<references /> | |||
''Sources: Forest Service Sisters Ranger District records; [[Clarno Arboretum|Clarno Apple Arboretum]] records 2019; USDA Agricultural Research Service DNA analysis 2024; Oregon Encyclopedia; Oregon Lookouts Archive'' | |||
The '''FlyMon Mill site''' orchard contains 3 documented heritage fruit trees. | The '''FlyMon Mill site''' orchard contains 3 documented heritage fruit trees. | ||
== IMPORTANT NOTE == | |||
It may be that the FlyMon site and the Grandview site are in fact the same site. | |||
It appears that despite three DNA tests having been run, there may be only one tree at the FlyMon site. | |||
Why those came back as Unique when the Grandview tree came back as Gravenstein is not clear. More note review and fieldwork may be needed here. | |||
== Location == | |||
The orchard is located at coordinates 44.518701, -121.464776. | |||
{{#ask: [[Has orchard::FlyMon Mill site]] [[Has coordinates::+]] | |||
|?Has coordinates | |||
|?Has field tag | |||
|?Has condition | |||
|format=leaflet | |||
|height=400px | |||
|width=100% | |||
|zoom=15 | |||
|scrollwheelzoom=off | |||
}} | |||
== Trees == | == Trees == | ||
=== | {{Orchard tree list|orchard=FlyMon Mill site}} | ||
* [[FlyMon | |||
{{Condition summary|orchard=FlyMon Mill site}} | |||
== Historical Documents == | |||
* [[Media:FlyMon Millsite Map.pdf|Forest Service Site Map]] | |||
''See also: [[Document Archive]]'' | |||
[[Category:Orchards]] | [[Category:Orchards]] | ||
[[Category:Deschutes National Forest]] | [[Category:Deschutes National Forest]] | ||
Latest revision as of 12:10, 5 February 2026
| FlyMon Mill site | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sisters RD, Deschutes NF |
| Tree Count | 3 |
| Species | 3 apple |
| Varieties | 0 identified |
History
The FlyMon Mill site orchard is associated with a small sawmill that operated in the late 1930s and into the 1940s, located just west of Geneva on the Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest.
The Mill Era (1930s-1940s)
During the Depression years of the 1930s, Central Oregon's timber industry underwent significant changes. While large mills like Brooks-Scanlon and Shevlin-Hixon dominated production around Bend, smaller operations flourished in more remote areas.<ref name="timber">Oregon Encyclopedia - Timber Industry</ref> The introduction of motor trucks by 1938 made it economically viable to operate smaller, more portable mills in locations previously inaccessible by railroad. These small mills, sometimes called "gyppo" operations, were typically run by independent loggers with limited capital but considerable mechanical ingenuity.
The FlyMon mill site was one such operation, positioned to harvest ponderosa pine from the surrounding Deschutes National Forest. According to Forest Service records, the site included living quarters for mill workers and their families - evidenced by the house ruin still visible behind the surviving apple tree today. Mill workers' families commonly planted fruit trees and vegetable gardens to supplement their provisions during the summer months when operations were active.
Geographic Setting
The mill site is located near Fly Lake and Fly Creek in Jefferson County (Township 12S, Range 11E), within what is now the Sisters Ranger District. Fly Lake had been established as a Forest Service lookout point since 1934, with a tree platform lookout operational by 1941.<ref name="flylake">Oregon Lookouts - Fly Lake</ref> The area saw considerable logging activity and road construction through the 1950s and 1960s.
Geneva
The nearby community of Geneva served as a reference point for early Forest Service activities in this area. The mill site is located at the junction of roads 1129.870/1129.874, just west of Geneva.
Site Description
Today, three apple trees stand behind what remains of a house ruin, a testament to the families who lived and worked at this remote mill site. The site's coordinates are 44.518701, -121.464776.
DNA Analysis and Variety
DNA samples collected from the FlyMon tree (codes AFRS-001, AFRS-007, AFRS-009) were analyzed as part of the Heritage Fruit Tree Project's genetic documentation effort. The analysis revealed:
- Not matching any named cultivar in existing DNA databases
- Ben Davis identified as one parent variety
- Other parent closest to Reinette Franche descendants - typical old U.S. germplasm
This indicates the FlyMon tree is likely either a seedling grown from seed rather than a grafted named variety, or possibly a named variety whose identity has been lost to time. Ben Davis was one of the most important commercial apple varieties of the late 1800s and early 1900s, known as a "mortgage lifter" for its reliable production and excellent keeping qualities.Wikipedia - Ben Davis apple
The fact that all three trees' DNA samples (AFRS-001, AFRS-007, AFRS-009) are identical suggests they came from the same parent tree, confirming this is a single variety - just one whose name remains unknown.
Preservation Efforts
On November 4, 2019, scions were collected from these trees for preservation at the Clarno Arboretum. The collection was coordinated by Chris Jensen with Beth Johnson and Mike Boero. Field notes indicate the tree was in fair condition - it had been "day lighted" (had competing vegetation removed) the previous season and could benefit from pruning and revitalization.
The scions have been grafted into rootstock at the Clarno nursery, ensuring this unique genetic heritage is preserved even if the original tree should be lost.
Historical Significance
The FlyMon Mill site represents an important aspect of Central Oregon's industrial heritage - the small, family-operated sawmills that supplemented larger timber operations during the Depression and World War II eras. The apple tree, likely planted by a mill worker's family in the late 1930s or early 1940s, serves as living testimony to the domestic life that existed alongside these remote industrial operations.
Primary Sources
The following historical documents are available:
References
<references />
Sources: Forest Service Sisters Ranger District records; Clarno Apple Arboretum records 2019; USDA Agricultural Research Service DNA analysis 2024; Oregon Encyclopedia; Oregon Lookouts Archive
The FlyMon Mill site orchard contains 3 documented heritage fruit trees.
IMPORTANT NOTE
It may be that the FlyMon site and the Grandview site are in fact the same site.
It appears that despite three DNA tests having been run, there may be only one tree at the FlyMon site.
Why those came back as Unique when the Grandview tree came back as Gravenstein is not clear. More note review and fieldwork may be needed here.
Location
The orchard is located at coordinates 44.518701, -121.464776.
Trees
| Condition | Count |
|---|---|
| Good | 0 |
| Fair | 0 |
| Poor | 0 |
| Dead | 0 |
| Total | 3 |
Historical Documents
See also: Document Archive
