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John Werner, Scarsdale, NY, is the winner!

Outpost wire is the answer for Week 470 of Orofino History Trivia a special feature to celebrate the history and heritage of Clearwater Country.

Join in the discovery!

Monday: It was Army surplus

Tuesday: A forked stick

Wednesday: World War I era

Thursday: One person wore a back board to hold it.

Friday: Came in reels

Saturday: Could be 1/4 to 1/2 mile long

'Outpost wire' was acquired as Army surplus after World War I which ended in 1918 by the Forest Service. It was insulated wire and so did not require insulators and could be hung on trees and other natural supports. It came in rolls of a quarter or half mile. One man would carry the wire on a frame like a back board and another would follow with a forked stick and place the wire over three branches to get it up off the ground and above wandering game. However, where there were not tree branches to hang it on, game did frequently get tangled in it. This wire was a big help in providing communication to trail and fire camps, according to Ralph Space in The Clearwater Story.

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Window on the Clearwater
P.O. Box 2444
Orofino, ID 83544
Orofino 476 0733
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