"Bubbling up in our own good time-- online."
Groundwaters Publishing, LLC
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Volume 5 Issue 2
Page 20
Page 20
Vernonia, Oregon is my kind of place
It is peaceful, and calm, away from the rat race
Its death was predicted but that was not the case
Upon my return, I feel I’ve reached Home Base
In the past the town was known because of the mill
The O-A Lumber Company, up on the hill
And loggers and mill workers with pockets to fill
‘Til 1957 when the saws were still
Vernonia has evolved during all these years
There was a time of only gloom, doom and tears
It has survived, in spite of everyone’s fears
It has diversified and now we hear some cheers
We look to the future but remember the past
How the timber came down and the boom didn’t last
We couldn’t believe that it happened so fast
Men and women, young and old, were all aghast
I’m proud of Vernonia, so come take a peek
There’s the lake, the rivers – Nehalem and Rock Creek
The fish are just waiting and they’re mild and meek
You’ll find the quiet and solitude that many people seek
Come on over and meet the people and its land
Come and see the families, walking hand in hand
The loggers, the Axemen, and their mighty band
Living in the coastal mountains, oh, so grand
There are all kinds of trees reaching for the sky
Seeking and searching for sunlight, giving it a try
Of course, you’ll see spotted owls, often on the fly
They changed the lives of loggers, even made some cry
The movie, Ring of Fire, was our claim to fame
We thought that Vernonia would never be the same
It soon became peaceful and quiet and much too tame
But that was a time much before the Axemen came
It has been a joy to see the town blossom and grow
To put the floods behind us with the rushing waters flow
To return to peaceful waters as the currents finally slow
But minds still replay those times when we see rain and snow
All joined forces when the water swept the land bare
And we showed a toughness of which we were unaware
It brought us all together to find we really care
Now a rainbow has appeared and the weather – It is fair!
It is peaceful, and calm, away from the rat race
Its death was predicted but that was not the case
Upon my return, I feel I’ve reached Home Base
In the past the town was known because of the mill
The O-A Lumber Company, up on the hill
And loggers and mill workers with pockets to fill
‘Til 1957 when the saws were still
Vernonia has evolved during all these years
There was a time of only gloom, doom and tears
It has survived, in spite of everyone’s fears
It has diversified and now we hear some cheers
We look to the future but remember the past
How the timber came down and the boom didn’t last
We couldn’t believe that it happened so fast
Men and women, young and old, were all aghast
I’m proud of Vernonia, so come take a peek
There’s the lake, the rivers – Nehalem and Rock Creek
The fish are just waiting and they’re mild and meek
You’ll find the quiet and solitude that many people seek
Come on over and meet the people and its land
Come and see the families, walking hand in hand
The loggers, the Axemen, and their mighty band
Living in the coastal mountains, oh, so grand
There are all kinds of trees reaching for the sky
Seeking and searching for sunlight, giving it a try
Of course, you’ll see spotted owls, often on the fly
They changed the lives of loggers, even made some cry
The movie, Ring of Fire, was our claim to fame
We thought that Vernonia would never be the same
It soon became peaceful and quiet and much too tame
But that was a time much before the Axemen came
It has been a joy to see the town blossom and grow
To put the floods behind us with the rushing waters flow
To return to peaceful waters as the currents finally slow
But minds still replay those times when we see rain and snow
All joined forces when the water swept the land bare
And we showed a toughness of which we were unaware
It brought us all together to find we really care
Now a rainbow has appeared and the weather – It is fair!
| My Home Town By Mildred “Millie” Thacker Graves |