Caption on image: Camp 2, Independence Log Co. C. Kinsey Photo, Seattle. No. 17 PH Coll 516.1540

The Independence Logging Company was in business from ca. 1922 to ca. 1927. Independence is three miles southwest of Rochester in southwest Thurston County. It was named on July 4, 1906 as the railroad lines between Centralia and Hoquiam were opened according to one story. A second story tells that surveyors were in the neighborhood on one July 4th. A post office was established in 1878 and moved to Lewis County in 1890. It was returned to Thurston County in 1911 and closed in 1944. This three-truck Shay locomotive was built in September 1923 and delivered to Hofius Steel & Equipment Co., a locomotive dealer in Seattle. It was then sold to the Independence Logging Company. It is an 80-ton class C Shay. Since 1996, it has been doing periodic excursion service under lease agreement with the City of Prineville R.R. (Prineville, Oregon).

• Subjects (LCTGM): Railroad locomotives--Washington (State); Lumber industry--Washington (State); Independence Logging Company--People--Washington (State); Independence Logging Company--Equipment & supplies--Washington (State); Thurston County (Wash.)
• Subjects (LCSH): Shay locomotives; Locomotive engineers--Washington (State)--Thurston County; Locomotive firemen--Washington (State)--Thurston County