In 1930, government appraisers said this land had no commercial value. Lightly to severely burned over, it had too few trees left from logging and fires to re-seed the barren acreage. Hoping to cut its losses, the Buschow Lumber Company sold the property to the only bidder, and the U.S. Forest Service purchased 48,257 acres for $1.42 per acre. Today the U.S. Forest Service manages this area as the Indian Nations Scenic and Wildlife Area, where scenic beauty and wildlife habitat now make these acres priceless to the American public.