Interview with William E. Hedges, April 18, 1979

Interview Summary

William Hedges was employed by the National Forest Service in the late 1920s and 1930s and operated out of a regional office with responsibility for eastern Kentucky. He recalls meeting Mary Breckinridge in the late 1930s, when she was visiting Washington, D.C. to advocate the establishment of national forests as a way of stabilizing the economy and improving the overall living conditions in eastern Kentucky. In addition to describing logging practices in the area prior to roads and railroads, Hedges offers some personal recollections of his acquaintance with Breckinridge.

Interview Keyword

Alcohol--Law and legislation--Kentucky Cumberland National Recreation Area (Ky. and Va.) Distilling, illicit Eastern Kentucky Forests and forestry. National Forest Service National Forest System (U.S.) Religion Rural poor. Rural roads School taxes Timber.

Interview LC Subject

Appalachian Region--Social conditions Appalachian Region--Social life and customs Breckinridge, Mary, 1881-1965 Churches--Kentucky Country life Depressions--1929--Kentucky Drought--Economic aspects Education--Kentucky Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Logging Lumber trade. Poverty--Appalachian Region Rural conditions Rural schools--Appalachian Region Transportation--Kentucky United States. Forest Service.

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.