Peavy Collection

Five members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op, Gem County, Idaho, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Five members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op. Gem County, Idaho

Member of the Ola self-help sawmill co-op working in the woods... Gem County, Idaho, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Member of the Ola self-help sawmill co-op working in the woods, rolling log to truck with peavey, a hooked and spiked stick used as a lever. Gem County, Idaho

Members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op rolling white fir log... Gem County, Idaho, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op rolling white fir log to lumber truck with peavies. Hooked and spiked sticks used as levers. Gem County, Idaho

Five Idaho farmers, members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op... Gem County, Idaho, 1939. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Five Idaho farmers, members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op, in the woods standing against a load of logs ready to go down to their mill about three miles away. Gem County, Idaho

Peavy, 1938. Creator: Max Fernekes
Peavy, 1938

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In the heart of Gem County, Idaho, five dedicated farmers came together to form the Ola Self-Help Sawmill Co-op in 1939. United by their shared determination to sustain their community and thrive amidst the Great Depression, they worked tirelessly in the woods, rolling white fir logs and operating the sawmill. Dorothea Lange captured their resilience and camaraderie in a series of powerful images. Among them was Peavy, a man whose spirit embodied the grit and perseverance of this remarkable group. Together, they transformed raw logs into valuable lumber, providing for their families and contributing to the local economy. Their legacy lives on as a testament to the power of community and self-reliance.