# How did the McLeod get its name?



## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

The story of how the Pulaski got its name is pretty well known but I have been unable to find any information on how the McLeod got its name. Any ideas?? (A trail volunteer asked me the question and now it's driving me nuts.)


----------



## Fattirewilly (Dec 10, 2001)

bweide said:


> The story of how the Pulaski got its name is pretty well known but I have been unable to find any information on how the McLeod got its name. Any ideas?? (A trail volunteer asked me the question and now it's driving me nuts.)


It was invented by an Irish potato farmer/forester...named McLeod???


----------



## dave54 (Jul 1, 2003)

Here's a story:

Long before actor Gavin McLeod was the captain of the Love Boat he was an able seaman in McHales Navy, before that he was always a bit day player as a ranchhand in westerns. One day between shooting scenes Gavin couldn't find a place to sit in the shade that wasn't covered with weeds on small brush. He grabbed a rake from the supply truck, but it didn't work well. After the season's shooting was over he had a lot of spare time on his hands and kept thinking about that day he had to sit in the hot sun, and how that rake didn't work, so he thought up the modification to put a sharp edge on the upper bar of the rake. Voila! the McLeod was born.

If you don't like that story I am sure I can fabricate another one. 




Here's another trivia quizzer: What is a K-tag and how did it get its name?


----------



## gnawbonelefty (May 16, 2005)

Named for Malcolm McLeod, 
Ranger in the Sierra National Forest around or about 1905.


----------



## bweide (Dec 27, 2004)

Thanks gnawbonelefty. A quick Google search confirmed your info that Malcolm McLeod, a Forest Ranger on what is now the Stanislaus National Forest, invented the McLeod Fire Rake in about 1905.

A Forest Supervisor, who had tried the McLeod but wasn't familar with the spelling of the name, wrote in a letter dated 11/17/1916 "The McCloud tool is a dandy." Here is a link to a page on the Stanislaus National Forest website that has an annotation at the bottom regarding Mr. McLeod and his invention including a picture of himself and his wife (http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus/heritage/voices/voices25.shtml).


----------

