History at a Glance

<<i>strong>Note: All quotations in this story are from Dave James, Simpson Company publicist from 1947 to 1975.

Clarence "Beau" Beauchamp, born in Lyons, Oregon, in 1896, came to Shelton in 1947. A self-taught artist, wood carver, cartoonist and stage designer, he went to work as a sign painter for Simpson Logging Co. in a "tiny room in the car shop," where his work quickly expanded beyond painting signs.

His arrival in Shelton coincided with the beginning of Forest Festival outdoor pageants. The pageant theme of "The Magic Tree" called for elaborate stage sets, and Beau volunteered to design and construct them. He turned the car shop into a studio, where he built giant figures of Paul Bunyan, cutouts of oxen and horse teams, signboard tributes to honored citizens who rode in parades, the Paul Bunyan float that led the parade for many years and "some of the loveliest floats ever to represent Simpson in the parade."

In 1949, Beau conceived the idea of a Simpson clown troupe that would perform in major parades throughout the Pacific Northwest. The first year, he made the costumes and face-painted 50 clowns; thereafter, he prepared make-up kits "for men from the mills and woods who didn't know grease paint from axle grease." In the first year, the Simpson Clowns traveled a thousand miles to Washington parades and returned from each event "burdened with trophies and banners."

In 1953, Beau prepared the giant Douglas fir log butt that was to be installed on Hillcrest overlooking the Simpson mills to recognize the 100th anniversary of logging in Mason County. He worked on the monument in the Simpson Shops for several weeks - soaking it with preservatives and carving in the lettering that recorded historic events dating from the 700-year-old tree's birth.

Beau's artwork spread into every Simpson mill in Shelton and McCleary, and into the woods wherever safety signs were needed. This led to his creation in 1957 of the "the world's only interchangeable totem pole," to be displayed at the Simpson Sales Warehouse on First Street. He carved eight representations of animals and birds, each denoting a Simpson mill or logging camp and mounted on hooks. Every three months, Simpson announced the winner of its "good housekeeping" award - so named because "tidy working conditions are a step toward safer working conditions." The totem for the winning camp or mill would be moved to the top of the pole until a new (or sometimes the same) winner was announced three months later.

In mid-February 1962 (in anticipation of traffic passing through Shelton on the way to the World's Fair in Seattle) Beauchamp created the giant plywood Santa Claus that for many years welcomed visitors to Christmastown U.S.A. from the northwest corner of First and Railroad. On his own time, he also made signs and cartoons (many printed as advertising in the Journal) for local businesses and organizations, including a large plywood likeness of President Eisenhower's head and shoulders for the Mason County Republicans.

For several years, it was traditional for Beau to prepare a cartoon poster for each management employee who retired from Simpson. His portraits were both complimentary and comic likenesses of his subject. "To own 'a Beau' was in Shelton what a Rembrandt was in Italy."

According to Dave James, Beauchamp was "a man of unique and distinctive talents, a quiet, modest, likable man who sought no public acclaim. He worked with enthusiasm on whatever assignment he was given." Beauchamp died in Shelton on June 15, 1989, and his body was returned to Marion County, Oregon, for burial. He was survived by his wife, Blanche, and several nieces and nephews.

The latest rotating exhibit at the Mason County Historical Museum, "The Artistry of Clarence Beauchamp," includes original Beauchamp artwork and carvings (including one of the animals from the "good housekeeping" totem pole) plus photographs of the artist at work and many of his one-of-a-kind creations. It will be on display through the end of the year.

■ Jan Parker is a researcher for the Mason County Historical Museum. She can be reached at [email protected]. Membership in the Mason County Historical Society is $25 per year. For a limited time, new members will receive a free copy of the book "Shelton, the First Century Plus Ten."