Where history meets the timber field

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Mason Dunn

By Ellie Webb-Bowen, CLA Student Writer - March 6, 2026

Growing up in Central Oregon with both parents as teachers (sixth and fourth grades), senior Mason Dunn has always been passionate about enriching his academic side. That fervor for learning led him to Oregon State to pursue a dual degree from both the College of Liberal Arts and College of Education in history and secondary education. 

Dunn attributes his enthusiasm for history directly to his father and how he made learning about history fun in the classroom. Now, Dunn is finishing his time at OSU in a different classroom, teaching world history and personal finance as a student teacher at Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis.

“I knew I was going to be a teacher in some capacity,” said Dunn, reflecting on his upbringing in Bend. “I was always learning, either by being outdoors, or at home. Being an educator was something I was always drawn to.”

Dunn started his freshman year with a loaded schedule of history classes. Some of his favorites included Civil Wars and Civil Rights (HST 202) and Contesting Freedoms: Making the Modern U.S. (HST 203), as well as The Ancient Mediterranean (HST 101) and History of Beer and Brewing (HST 417), both of which taught by the late-Kendall Staggs, a School of History, Philosophy, and Religion instructor who passed away in 2023. 

“Dr. Staggs was hugely influential in my history studies,” said Dunn. “Really everyone at the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion has been very supportive.”

During his freshman year, Dunn discovered the Forestry Club during a club fair. A week later, Dunn watched a logging sports demonstration organized by the club. He was immediately hooked. 

"I fell in love with it," he said. Come Veterans Day, the following weekend, the club traveled to Moscow, Idaho, for a competition. “I had an absolute blast. That weekend helped me connect with people at college for the first time, it felt like I had a solid group, a solid foundation,” Dunn added. 

In addition to competing in axe throwing, log rolling, and crosscut sawing, Dunn served as treasurer during his freshman and sophomore year, responsible for managing the club’s expenses. This year, he’s club historian, combining his academic pursuit and outside interest into one community building experience. 

For the last three years, primarily as club historian, Dunn has been developing an ongoing oral history project. This project is centered on interviewing Logging Sport community members and collecting their history. Dunn has used this project as independent research credit, and is hoping to continue his academic research through graduate school. With guidance from Assistant Professor Joel Zapata and Senior Instructor Steven Shay, Dunn looked to explore not only the history of the Forestry Club, but the nuances of logging sports history at OSU. 

The sport dates to the late 19th century and evolved from the daily responsibilities of lumberjacks. As the sport evolved from small town events into larger regional and more professional events, the competitors were predominantly white men. Today, the sport has since matured into a diverse outlet for people of all genders and ethnic backgrounds, which Dunn explores in his project. Conducting over 30 interviews with past members of OSU’s logging sports team and the wider community, Dunn recorded and transcribed hours of spoken accounts from competitors, including women loggers, loggers of color, and international students who have taken part. 

"Logging sports began with small-town events, but quickly spread to the masses and through generations of families,” explained Dunn. "My goal with the project was to expose to people that not only does OSU have a logging sports team, but to celebrate its history as a welcoming place for all who are interested.”

During homecoming, Dunn set up an exhibit in the College of Forestry’s home of Peavy Hall for visitors to view historical club photos and materials that he was able to gather. His wider goal is to submit the hours of recorded accounts to OSU’s Special Collections & Archives Research Center for preservation.

After spring term, Dunn plans to enter into the College of Liberal Arts’ history master’s program with a focus on community and civic engagement, with the goal of eventually becoming a high school history teacher, preferably back in Bend. 

“I love working on history and the faculty at the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion have encouraged me to pursue my interests” concluded Dunn. “Being able to combine historical research with my hobby of Logging Sports is something I never even thought of. I have loved exploring and pushing the boundaries of when it comes to finding what is possible.”