By Randy Parks
Burns Times-Herald
Having grown up in Hines, Bill Jennings is all too aware of Edward Hines Lumber Co. and its significance to the town’s history.
So when the L-1 shed behind the mill site began to be dismantled, he decided something needed to be done to commemorate all the people who had worked at the mill over the years.
Jennings said he decided to build a pair of benches, which would be dedicated to the former mill employees. “I went out and talked to the people that were tearing the shed down,” he said. “They told me they’d give me the material if I would donate the benches to a city park when I was done.”
Once he received the wood, Jennings began working on the benches in his garage in mid-September 2007. After almost six months of cutting, sanding and weatherizing the wood, Jennings had completed the project. “I worked right through the dead of winter, with no heat in the garage,” he laughed. “But I had a ton of fun doing it.”
The benches are not only comfortable but they also feature a variety of photographs of the town, the mill and the lumber industry through the years.
Jennings said the photographs came from the Harney County Historical Museum, private individuals, daily reminder books his father had and from the Oregon and Northwestern Railroad Web site. “It’s for the young people to learn about the history of the city,” he said. There would be no city of Hines if there wasn’t an Edward Hines Lumber Co.”
Jennings, who now lives in Burns, said he spent a total of 10-and-a-half years working for the mill and his father worked there for 44 years. Jennings added that there are a number of people in Harney County who worked for the mill for a number of years and the benches and the history are for them.
The benches are located next to the eagle statue south of Hines City Hall.
June 2nd, 2008 at 5:23 pm
Dang, Loonies and Toonies didn’t have those chocolate covered cashews on the shelf so, I had to buy a can of Sloppy Joe sauce instead. I mean come on, don’t you feel stupid walking in and out of a merchant’s shop without buying anything?! It was a nice day walking on the other side of the street when I happened to notice the old Post Office is selling junk again. There wasn’t an available old lady to help me cross so, I snugged my cap and dodged the horrific traffic on Broadway to enter the bazaar. I missed the old lizard that used to have a sunny perch near a window. The rest of the junk seems the same and I got a deal on a hose splice for a dollar.
Another day, I was lucky to happen by the historical museum on a day and hour that it was open. I felt smug this time as I had a couple dollars for a donation. The four they suggested was disappointing but, considering anything else that takes an hour of my time, it was a deal. Lots of stuff in there, about the same as the last time I was in there, three years ago. I felt strangely interested in volunteering to pull down some of the cob webs and do a bit of cleaning and dusting. There are old albums all full and loose with photos. I imagined countless numbers of people thumbing through them and the acids that would have destroyed them by now. Like me, they probably left the books be, their secrets intact. It would be cool if someone could scan those images to a modern storage system. No, not microfiche. I would think of a hard drive but the latest news I’ve heard is a 256mb flash drive invented that will replace hard drives. I checked the newspaper to learn that the Harney County Historical Society meets the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge.
June 18th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Mr. Jennings the benches you built are beautiful and a welcome addition to our community. I appreciate the great job you did and know that our Lord must surely be saying ” well done my faithful servant.” In my opinion you have a wonderful giving heart. God Bless You!