Posted in Mississippi
February 11, 2017
These 13 Rare Photos Show Mississippi’s Lumber History Like Never Before
To early settlers looking to build, the millions of acres of forests that filled Mississippi were considered nothing more than a nuisance. However, by the 1840s, that way of thinking was on its way out, as saw mills began popping up in the state’s coastal region. Before long, Mississippi had a flourishing lumber industry, and although the boom didn’t last long, it forever changed the state. Take a look at these photos for a rare glimpse at what life was like during this defining period in Mississippi’s history.

The H. Weston Lumber Company (pictured) was located in near the Pearl River in Logtown. Up until 1930, it was the largest sawmill in the entire world.

According to records, many men who had grown up on farms "preferred jobs in the lumber industry and became loggers or sawmill workers."


Initially, lumber was transported by a caralog - an ox-driven two-wheeled wagon. By 1905, it was replaced by the Lindsey Eight-Wheel Wagon, which was designed by Laurel residents, the Lindsey brothers.



Aside from shipping finished products, the railroads provided a means to access timberland that had previously been inaccessible, which was essential to the industry since timber near streams was being rapidly depleted.




Gloster, circa 1935

As a way to cut costs and increase production, many farmers began "skidder logging." Although effective, the process destroyed smaller trees and prevented new ones from growing, leaving the land completely depleted. Furthermore, many sawmills were exhausting their timber supply in a few short years because tax laws encouraged sawmill operators cut down as many trees in as short of time period as possible.

Once a lumber mill was "cut out," families like this one in the Kiln were left without a means of support.
Learn more about one of the state’s original lumber communities in “Take A Closer Look At The Lost City Of Logtown, Mississippi.“