HISTORY OF
Forward Letters from all Editions
First Edition
Second Edition
Presidents Letter First Edition
David H. Schaefer, President (1970)
Springbrook Forest is unique in many ways, including its wonderful forest setting and numerous community interests, Many of Springbrook Forest's problems are nonetheless typical suburban concerns. Some insight into reasons for both our uniqueness and typicality will perhaps be found in the following pages.
This History had its beginnings at a Citizens Association meeting in late 1967. At that meeting Ellis Clough, one of our foremost citizens, suggested a study of the factors contributing to the quality of life in the Forest. This document is the outcome. Dr. Clough has been the History project's Commander-in-Chief and through his perseverance, dedication, and plain hard work, this "document" has become a reality.
It is our hope that this History will prove of interest to past, present and future residents of the area, as well as to all interested in the growth of modern suburbia.
Our wish is that this document will help bridge the gap between old and new residents, and even more importantly help bridge the ever present generation gap. (Many of the younger generation have assisted in the preparation of this booklet). If this wish is even partially fulfilled, we will count this document a success.
Forward to First Edition
Ellis Clough, Chairman, History Project (1970)
Two closely related purposes have guided the planning and writing of this History, One - to piece together and interpret the story of the original raw land of our Forest area and of the people drawn to it to build their homes and make a fresh new community. The land had lain intact and relatively virgin over 200 years seemingly awaiting families who would use and guard it well. Two - to make the History a full community project. The magnificent response the fulfillment of both objectives, We hope that they as full partners will feel pride and deep satisfaction in the end product of our work.
We believe that such a story deserves telling whenever and wherever it occurs, The physical and spiritual merging of a family with its own new piece of earth is a stirring experience - especially so if the land is a forest “wilderness”, and perhaps their first ownership experience. To accomplish this in common with other kindred souls deepens and en- riches the overall experience, While we may generalize that some of the Forest's problems have been typical of most new suburban communities, the experiences referred to are always individual, thus personal and unique.
We have tried to write the story to appeal to a wide-ranging audience: the pioneer families; later families who have shared in promoting the community's wellbeing; future citizens, young and old - in our hope that they too will feel a strong bond with neighbors here and with the land; former residents including “grownup” youth who treasure some of their experiences here; and groups outside the Forest, We are keenly aware of benefits gained from the larger community around us.
Our sources included (1) Land records; (2) publications; (3) family responses - 82% - to a formal community-wide survey; (4) group interview meetings involving 20 early families; (5) interviews with and record files of developer George Moss; (6) innumerable personal and telephone interviews; (7) records (especially the Minutes) of the Citizens Association; and (8) sixteen separate “Special Stories" written by residents.
The document presents only a small portion of what has been learned, Many facts, anecdotes and other contributions will be placed in either the separate Supplement to this book or in bound archive volumes to prevent them from being forever lost. The Committee proposes that a Historian or a History Committee be established to aid in this work ard to carry it on through future years.
An informal Advisory Group composed of Dave Griffin, Les Miller and Jerry Zindel provided early guidance on project objectives, content Sources and working relationships, Subsequently, they have contributed many facts and anecdotes, some special stories, ami helpful reinforcement and review, While not formally a member of the Group, Wes Meginn has been helpful in review, evaluation, and other ways.
The Working Committee consisted of the following:
John Finn
Roland Fritz
Don Leslie
Rae Nelson
David Schaefer
Preston Stang
Ellis Clough, Chairman
The title is truly deseriptive! Working as a unified team and individually this dedicated group has performed over two years the really vital functions of planning, promotion, followup, continuous review, evaluation and refinement, Each has done some share of the research and verification; most have prepared summaries, essays or "special stories". Three have written major segments of the document: David Schaefer - Chapter I; Ellis Clough - Chapter IT; and Don Leslie - Chapter IIIT. The same three have developed the eight Appendices. Along with this Committee should be named Mel Leonberger who has taken the very rough sketches of the working group and through both his own research and his artistic ability has produced the illustrations that have greatly enhanced this History.
Rae Nelson has been the Working Group's special sweetheart. Along with doing a large share of the necessary work, she has kept the project going with her encouragement and inspiration.
Acknowledgements: A very great number of persons within the Forest and outside have given specific assistance to the project. A partial listing includes;
Typing of manuscript: Naomi Clough, Maxine Schaefer, Thelma Wilson, Dorothea Misko.
Essays and special stories: Paul Amundsen, Elma and Julian Hoskinson, George DeBuchananne, Roland and Rosemarie Fritz, Selma Goldberg, Ruby Lee Beach, Eugene Beach, Jr., Les ‘Miller, Ruth Preston, Barbara Rock, Rae and Lloyd Nelson, Don Leslie.
Special assistance relating to Chapter I: William Gray, Silas Bean, Eugene Beach, Jr., George Misko, Jr., Noble Hembree, Walter Seek and Ann Marie Vick who drew the faces that appear on Figure 17. Additional "thanks" are given in Appendix 4,
Content and design of the early community-wide Survey form: Rae Nelson and son, Rodger.
Advising on and printing of the Survey form and the final History document: Walter McArdle and sons, Mickey and Terry.
Follow-up work on the Survey: Bea Fitzsimmons, Dale Jackson, Alice and Carl Kallina, Helen Stang and Toni Zindel.
Host families for four Group Interview Meetings: Helen and Preston Stang, Toni and Jerry Zindel, Rae and Lloyd Nelson, Cathy and Don Leslie.
Photo processing and Xeroxing: Bernie von Bernewitz, J. M. Leslie, Chris Bassich, George Misko.
Special aid concerning family-built versus speculatively-built homes; Harold Bradshaw and Carl Sharp.
More than 100 persons have helped in many ways not described above. Some of these are the following:
Ann Alden
Paul Amundsen
Ed and Marie Anderson
Janie Barkley
James Blalock
Nancy Boggess
Gil Bowen
Nick and Mary Carter
Bernice Clark
George and Mary DeBuchananne
Roald and Betty Evensen
Elma and Julian Hoskinson
Peggy Humphrey
Dick and Lois Julius
Rita and William Lyons
Estelle and Wes Meginn
Vivian and Floyd Morris
William and Ollie Millet
John and Kay Chimacher
Violet Randel
Hugo Ranta
Marlin and Grace Smith
Henry and Helen Temple Wayne Travers
A special word of appreciation is due my wife, Naomi for her understanding, patience and reinforcement.
It has been a high privilege to help in the preparation of this History of our beautiful land and neighborhood.
Presidents Letter Second Edition
David .J Baer, President (2002)
Springbrook Forest is a neighborhood with a rich and wonderful history. This second edition of the History of Springbrook Forest (2002) provides an update to the original history published in 1970. The second edition updates the written legend of our special community.
The release of this publication coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Springbrook Forest Citizens Association (SFCA). As was the hope of the first edition, we expect that this new publication will bring together the interests of former, current, and future residents. It will serve as a record of the spirit and uniqueness of Springbrook Forest that remains vibrant today.
On behalf of the residents of Springbrook Forest, I would like to thank the History Committee whose members have worked tirelessly and spent countless hours researching and preparing this second edition. David Schaefer skillfully led this committee. We thank Florence Howard, Don Gish, Mel Leonberger, Kathy Bassett, Pauline Summers, Beth Saidman and Phil Hill for their dedication and work.
Introduction to Second Edition
David H. Schaefer, Springbrook Forest Historian (1970)
The idea of writing a History of Springbrook Forest had its beginnings at a Citizens Association meeting in late 1967. At that meeting Ellis Clough, one of our foremost citizens, suggested a study of the factors contributing to the quality of life in the Forest. The first edition of the History published in 1970 was the outcome. D.r Clough, who died in 1984, was the project's Commander-in-Chief and through his perseverance, dedication, and plain hard work, the 1970 document become a reality.
A new History is needed as:
- The supply of the old History is exhausted.
- Interesting events have taken place since 1970.
- More information had been unearthed about events covered in the First edition.
- We now have information about the prehistory of the Forest area.
Advances in computer technology has made the task of putting a History of this sort together much easier than in 1970. In particular the ability to enhance and manipulate images has resulted in many more illustrations than in the 1970 edition.
The production of this present History has been leisurely. In 1994 a committee consisting of Kathy Basset, Don Gish, Florence Howard, Mel Leonberger, Maxine Schaefer, David Schaefer and Pauline Summers came together to produce a new history document. In 1996 Phil Hill was added to the group, and in 1999 Beth Saidman joined the crew.
Phil Hill figured that if Springbrook Forest's generations of youngsters enjoyed the shelter of Shell Rock, then Native Americans must have used it for shelter too. He dug, found that they did, even 4000 years ago. Chapter 1 is the result. Phil is a Forester and a professional archeologist.
Chapter 2 is the result of Florence Howard's intense interest in Montgomery County history. Her family forms part of this history. For Chapter 2 she built on the bare bones of the history of the Second Addition to Culver's Chance in the 1970 edition, and put real flesh on this skeleton.
Not many communities can claim that they are on land where mica was mined. Springbrook Forest can, and Chapter 3 talks about mica and the mining operations here.
Chapter 4, covering the early years of Springbrook Forest, is a trimmed and updated version of Ellis Clough's Chapter 2of the 1970 edition.
Chapter 5 that covers the interval from 1955 to the production of the History in 1970 is pretty much Don Leslie's Chapter 3 of the 1970 edition with updating and illustrations added. Don died in 1995.
Chapter 6 covers the events from 1970 to the present time. It is the work of Don Gish who supplemented his memory of events with reference to Association minutes.
Chapter 7, a glance at the future, was produced by Kathy Bassett with help from young members of her family and their friends.
Shortly before he died Wayne Travers was concerned about the fate of his contribution to the History. Wayne lived in the Forest from 1955 to 2000 where he and his wife Margaret raised two children, an unknown numbers of plants, and many wild animals. Birds always were on the Travers property, some dropping in at the same time each afternoon for a treat. His essay that described his observations of Wildlife in the Forest is Appendix 1.
Barbara Rock aided in producing the list of SFCA officers. Nancy Bosworth and Sue Jonsberg assembled the list of residents.
Beth Saidman did original editing on early drafts in 1999. The undersigned built on Beth's work and cut and pasted and added graphics and edited the final copy.
Mel Leonberger produced the cover as well as other artwork in the booklet, and has overseen the final production of this document.
My late wife Maxine made large contributions to the original history project and these contributions are reflected in this new edition.
My wife Mary has given me great advice, encouragement and help, told me to "get to work", and has been patient with me when I got too involved with the project. I thank her for all this.