Taft Fir: Once Largest Douglas-fir
in Washington State
I'm trying to research the unknown history of the Douglas-fir tree shown in this 1909 photograph. The
tree was apparently known as the “Taft fir,” and was located near Clallam Bay, Washington.
The caption on the photograph says that the tree was 14 feet in diameter at 10 feet above the ground, and
was considered the largest Douglas-fir tree in the state. Since the tree was photographed with people
sitting in an undercut, it is supposed that the tree was cut down in 1909, and possibly for use at the
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Some of the west's largest individual trees were given names after
famous presidents and generals, such as Washington, Lincoln, Sherman, and Grant. It's not surprising
that by the time this record size Douglas-fir was photographed, in 1909, it apparently was known as the
“Taft fir.” It was in 1909 that William Howard Taft became the 27th president of the United
States. It was also in September 1909 that President Taft arrived by train in Seattle, to attend the 1909
world's fair known as the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The people in the photograph, from left to
right, are said to be Clarence E. Kefauver, Harry Clement Fairservice, and Harry's father Alston
Fairservice. Alston Fairservice became the East Clallam postmaster on Feb. 11, 1898, as well as a
prominent merchant, logging operator, and banker. Alston Fairservice and Clarence Kefauver ran the
mercantile at Clallam Bay. Alston Fairservice logged up the Clallam River and Hoko River and floated
logs down the lower reaches of those rivers to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
I'm trying to research the unknown history of the Douglas-fir tree shown in this 1909 photograph. The
tree was apparently known as the “Taft fir,” and was located near Clallam Bay, Washington.
The caption on the photograph says that the tree was 14 feet in diameter at 10 feet above the ground, and
was considered the largest Douglas-fir tree in the state. Since the tree was photographed with people
sitting in an undercut, it is supposed that the tree was cut down in 1909, and possibly for use at the
Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. Some of the west's largest individual trees were given names after
famous presidents and generals, such as Washington, Lincoln, Sherman, and Grant. It's not surprising
that by the time this record size Douglas-fir was photographed, in 1909, it apparently was known as the
“Taft fir.” It was in 1909 that William Howard Taft became the 27th president of the United
States. It was also in September 1909 that President Taft arrived by train in Seattle, to attend the 1909
world's fair known as the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. The people in the photograph, from left to
right, are said to be Clarence E. Kefauver, Harry Clement Fairservice, and Harry's father Alston
Fairservice. Alston Fairservice became the East Clallam postmaster on Feb. 11, 1898, as well as a
prominent merchant, logging operator, and banker. Alston Fairservice and Clarence Kefauver ran the
mercantile at Clallam Bay. Alston Fairservice logged up the Clallam River and Hoko River and floated
logs down the lower reaches of those rivers to the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
