The Steam Donkey
THE STEAM DONKEY
How the Dolbeer Donkey steam engine got its name, is one of the real
mysteries of the West. Some folks say it was called a "donkey" because
loggers thought it was too puny to merit a horsepower rating. Invented by
John Dolbeer, this portable steam engine first appeared in the redwoods near
Eureka, California in 1881.
The tiny, but might machine
could be hauled to remote mountaintops and
equaled the power of many horses, mules, and
oxen to reel in huge logs. A few steam donkeys
still stand in north coast towns as a tribute to
the ingenuity of California's early inventors.
(Steam Donkey Photo courtesy of Humboldt State University)