Title: Philip A. MacDonald Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1912-1957

Creator:

• MacDonald, Philip A, 1889-1961

Call Number: Stevens Point Mss AS; Tape 228A; PH 3740

Quantity: 1.8 c.f. (3 archives boxes and 3 card boxes), 1 tape recording, and 26 photographs

Repository:

Housed at the Nelis R. Kampenga University Archives & Area Research Center, Learning Resources Center, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Stevens Point Library / Stevens Point Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Papers of a pioneer forest ranger of the Wisconsin Conservation Department, primarily documenting his work for the state in establishing the Wisconsin fire protection program and in forest land acquisition and mapping and his private timberland activities. Included are detailed diaries, which cover the full period of his state employment; correspondence with C.L. Harrington and other departmental officials concerning the development of the fire protection program during the 1920's and land acquisition and mapping during the 1950's. Correspondence also of the 1950's with the Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Co. details his private ownership of timberland. The early days of the Wisconsin Forestry program are documented in an oral history interview and in a few photographs. Miscellaneous records include biographical clippings and personnel material; an article concerning the early Wisconsin Forestry program written by MacDonald; forest survey notes of Vilas and Douglas counties and other unidentified areas; and detailed reports from the 1920's concerning fire protection activities and expenses.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-stpt00as

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Philip A. MacDonald, a pioneer forest ranger of the Wisconsin Department of Conservation, was born in DePere, Wisconsin in 1889, one of nine children of Mary Ellen Walsh and John H. MacDonald. In 1891 the family moved to Tomahawk. Little is known about Philip MacDonald's early life, but it is known that he worked as a lumberjack and a river man.

In 1911 MacDonald took the first forest ranger examination and then began a 47-year employment with the department. He helped build the tree nursery at Trout Lake and later did fire control work throughout the northern half of the state. He also worked on the development of the facilities at Devil's Lake. In 1946 MacDonald was assigned the task of mapping canoe rivers and campsites. In the 1950's he did land acquisition and survey work for the department. During this period MacDonald also owned his own land, and he built up a substantial logging operation. At the time of his retirement in 1957 MacDonald's contributions to conservation in the state were formally recognized by the Conservation Commission.

In addition to his conservation work, MacDonald was a director of the Woodruff State Bank and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He died in 1961 at age 68 in Tomahawk.

The MacDonald papers are a richly detailed collection for studying many aspects of the early conservation program and forest history in Wisconsin. Unlike the administrative files contained within the Conservation Commission records, this collection contains a great detail on how these programs and policies were actually implemented by individual state employees. In addition, there is some material on the private ownership and management of timberlands.

Included in the papers are diaries, correspondence, an oral history interview, photographs, biographical information, and miscellaneous material. The diaries cover the entire period of MacDonald's state employment, and while none of the daily entries are long or personal, they do indicate his activities clearly and virtually without gaps. This detail is supplemented by correspondence, although this form of documentation primarily concerns the 1920's and the late 1940's and early 1950's. The early correspondence documents his work in fire control, relations with the local fire wardens, construction of telephone lines to the fire towers, and dealings with the Cornell Wood Products Co. There is no correspondence for the 1930's and the early 1940's, but in 1946 the papers begin coverage of MacDonald's new assignment in mapping canoeing rivers and surveying lands. There are extensive exchanges with C.L. Harrington and other officials of the Conservation Department. Also from this period is correspondence with the Nekoosa-Edwards Paper Co. concerning the use of his various land holdings. The miscellaneous paper records include forest survey notes, primarily from Vilas and Douglas counties, and individual forest fire and expense reports from the 1920's.

Also documenting MacDonald's earliest days with the forestry system is an oral history interview conducted by C. L. Harrington and a number of photographs available in the Visual and Sound Archives. The photographs include images of timberland surveying parties and images related to MacDonald's personal and professional life.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Frank and Edward MacDonald, Tomahawk, Wisconsin, July 11, 1961. Accession Number: M61-156, M61-186

Processing Information

Processed by Roger M. Dahl (FGH student-1971) and Carolyn J. Mattern.

Stevens Point Mss AS	Diaries
Box   1	1912-1936
Box   2	1937-1944
Box   3	1945, 1947, 1954
Box   4 Folder   2	1931, 1932
Box   4 Folder   3	1946
Box   4 Folder   4	1955-1957
	Biographical and Personal Material
Box   4 Folder   1	Clippings, personnel forms, article, oral history transcript
Tape 228A	Oral history interview
PH 3740	Photographs
Stevens Point Mss AS	Correspondence
Box   4 Folder   5-7	1920-1923
Box   5	1924-1957, undated
	Miscellany
Box   6 Folder   1	Fire reports, 1923-1930
Box   6 Folder   2	Payroll reports, 1924
Box   6 Folder   3	Survey notes, undated
Box   6 Folder   4	Tower map, undated
Box   6 Folder   5	Tower lookout reports, 1924-1930
Box   6 Folder   6	Miscellaneous forms