In 1766, New Hampshire Governor John Wentworth promised Eleazar Wheelock a grant of a township on which to build Dartmouth College.

While the Landaff case underwent litigation to resolve the rival claims, Vermont (then meeting in Norwich) came to the aid of the college and granted it the township of Wheelock (northwest of St. Johnsbury) in 1785.

As a result, the recreational and education concepts have become a prominent part of the grant's management, with untold opportunities for use by the Dartmouth community.

The Prentiss & Carlisle Company of Bangor, Maine, subsequently prepared a management plan which was transmitted to the college by the committee in early January 1970.

The Seven Islands Land Company of Bangor was retained by the college to oversee forestry management and to implement the Prentiss & Carlisle plan.

It was at this same time that Al Merrill was named Director of Outdoor Affairs and given responsibility for recreational and educational use of the Second College Grant along with oversight of the Moosilauke Ravine Lodge and the Dartmouth Outing Club.

In 1978 the College implemented a salvage operation designed to remove the dead fir while saving as much spruce and hardwood as possible.

Once again the harvesting activity was halted while the College took stock of its forest resources and considered its future management options.

Seven Islands Land Company conducted a timber cruise survey and used the growth and inventory data to prepare a new 10-20 year management plan.

Former Democratic candidate for New Hampshire governor, Colin Van Ostern, was staying in the cabin with several other guests during the incident.