William A. Langille was born in 1869 in Nova Scotia. In 1882, he came to Hood River, Oregon where the Langille family was associated with the construction and operation of the Cloud Cap Inn. Construction began in 1889 and they operated the inn from 1891 until 1906. William and his brother, Harold D. "Doug" Langille, were early climbers and guides on the mountain. In 1897 William went prospecting in the Klondyke gold fields. A few years later, in 1903, he was appointed forester of Alaska. Many of the manuscripts and some of the diaries in this collection reflect on his time spent in that area. Due to his association with Alaskan lumber companies, he was hired in 1912 by the Paulista Lumber Company to report on the Brazilian forest. After World War I, Langille worked for the forest service and the Oregon State Parks Department.
From the guide to the William A. Langille papers, 1891-1955, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)
