A 3T D7 Caterpillar was recently donated to the Clearwater Historical Museum and is on display outside the building.

One of the museum board members, Tia Pomponio, shared information about its history. It originally belonged to Potlatch and was used both on land and in the river during log drives. He could verify it was used on the river because it had a piece of drift wood in its belly pan.

Red McCollister, former Potlatch log drive foreman, purchased it and another Caterpillar before he retired. He and relatives used them for logging operations on his ranch in the Canyon Creek area. Then it sat for 13 years. Sandy McCollister Goffinet, Red's daughter called and asked if they would like it for the museum.

Tia said it took nine days to get it running with updates. It has a blade that goes on the front and they have an old carriage to put on the back, but those are tasks for a time of year when it is not as hot as it has been this summer. He said there is a winch to run the Letourneau log loader on the back.

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