Ponderosa Way Collection

File

Identifier: MSS-355

Staff Only

Content Description

Folder 1 contains photograph, negatives, and slides from Ponderosa Way location. There are 21 printed photos and 56 slides. Folder 2 contains articles and maps about ponderosa way. The maps are both hand drawn and printed. Most of the articles pertain to geographical information and mapping. File 3 contains logs and material production descriptions. The logs date from 1987-1990. There are multiple handwritten notes about research and findings throughout the content.

Dates

1978 - 1990

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research without restriction.

Conditions Governing Use

No restrictions.

Biographical / Historical

Ponderosa Way was a continuous firebreak intended to protect the higher elevation National Forest lands from the lower region foothill that are prone to fire outbreaks. The break spans 800 miles, from the Sierra Nevada foothills, into the Cascades, ending north of Redding. Built in three years, Ponderosa Way is the worlds largest fire break. A preliminary survey was taken to determine the general location of the line. It was based on forest types and practical problems faced during fires. The firebreak was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a program in 1933 that allowed unemployed men between the ages of 18-25 to enlist in programs to work for parks, public lands, and forests. The CCC built the majority of the break in the winters and had camps along where is was being built. They built both the firebreak itself and the road and truck trail along it.

While Ponderosa Way was successful in being built, it failed to be maintained to be benificial. It has mostly been lost to nature and has not been kept since the begining.

"Ponderosa Way, CA" 14, A. Laverdiere October, 6, E. B. George April, 11, K. Evatt July, 14, K. Helton November, & 15, L. F. (n.d.). Ponderosa Way - CA. Living New Deal. https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/ponderosa-way-ca/

"An 800-mile firebreak once protected California’s forests from flames. What happened?" Gafni, M. (2020, November 19). An 800-mile firebreak once protected California’s forests from flames. what happened? San Francisco Chronicle. https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/An-800-mile-firebreak-once-protected-15713546.php

"PONDEROSA WAY BRIDGE" Spanning the North Fork of the American River at Ponderosa Way Historic American Engineering Record, C., U.S. Bureau Of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, Sidler, M., Halsey Machine & Manufacturing Company, Pratt, M. B. [...] Forbes, J. M., Dewey, W. B., photographer, Gratreak, L. & Jepsen, N., eds. (1968) Ponderosa Way Bridge, Spanning the North Fork of the American River at Ponderosa Way, Applegate, Placer County, CA. Placer County Applegate California, 1968. McPartland, M., trans Documentation Compiled After. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/ca4492/