Pfc Mark Fernald
In Memoriam
In reality, Middle Elk was a wilderness area. No neighbors for miles. The family survived the depression years with a cow, chickens, vegetable garden, and lots of venison. The road from Middle Elk to Highway 1 along the coast was not much more than a logging road. After winter storms, the road would be blocked by fallen trees or washed out by rain. Traveling to Port Orford required carrying up to four boys in the trunk of the Model A coupe or in the back of the sedan with a roof that leaked like a sieve and when it rained, water would pool in the headliner.