Seeley Swan Pathfinder -

Submitted by the Upper Swan Valley Historical Society. Reprinted from the Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Gifford Pinchot, who later became chief of the U.S. Forest Service, was working for the National Forest Commission in 1896 when he traveled south through the Swan Valley with Jack Monroe, a trapper and guide. In the previous installment of the 7-part series, they had prepared to cross the Swan River after realizing they may have been presumed drowned.

I kept the forward end of the raft upstream, while Monroe controlled the rear. Soon the footing failed and we struck out vigorous...