On February 19, 1924, this giant 40-foot log was successfully loaded onto a Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad freight car by employees of the St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. The log, measuring 72 inches in diameter, would be a prime exhibit when shown in the East and Midwest the following summer. The sheer size of the log would remind viewers that lumber from Tacoma mills came from logs similar to the one displayed. TPL-2375; G44.1-093

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma);

On February 19, 1924, workers at the St. Paul & Tacoma lumber mill were loading a giant log onto a Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway car. The log was being sent on an exhibition tour. It would be shown at agricultural fairs and educational exhibits in the East and Midwest during the coming summer as a sample of the giant logs from which Tacoma mills got their lumber. The log was 72 inches in diameter and 40 feet long. (TNT 2/20/1924) G36.1-042

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Logs; Railroad freight cars--Tacoma; Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad Co. (Tacoma); Hoisting machinery;

Piles of logs waiting to be removed via railroad flatcars from a West Fork Logging Co. site in March of 1924. G75.1-088

Logs; West Fork Logging Co.;

Logging operations in the woods, in the Seabeck, Washington, area. West Fork Logging Co. apparatus on railroad tracks photographed on March 23, 1924. L.T. Murray was the president of the firm. Mr. Murray would move his logging operation to Lewis County in 1927. G75.1-089 (Additional information provided by a reader)

West Fork Logging Co.; Lumber industry--1920-1930;

On March 23, 1924, West Fork Logging Co. employees posed near the company's steam donkey on a sled. The donkeys were a replacement for the horse and oxen power formerly used to pull logs from the woods. This photograph was probably taken in logging areas near Seabeck where the company was then based. Logging operation would move to Lewis County three years later. G75.1-033 (for an earlier view of a steam donkey, see B2726) (Additional information provided by a reader)

West Fork Logging Co.; Lumber industry--1920-1930; Steam donkeys; Donkey engines;

Logging operations at West Fork Logging Co. site #1. Logs are being "loaded," per photographer Marvin Boland's notes. This was probably located in the Seabeck, Washington, area, in March of 1924. (Additional information provided by a reader)

West Fork Logging Co.; Lumber industry--1920-1930;

Defiance Lumber Company's crane at 4601 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Defiance Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

The "Artigas" is docked awaiting the loading of a cargo of lumber from Tidewater Mill on May 2, 1924. The Tidewater Mill, located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, exported most of their timber. The "Artigas" would set sail directly for San Francisco on Saturday, May 3rd. G49.1-094

Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma);

Three men operating machinery at an Olympia sawmill in June of 1924. Photograph taken on behalf of Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-025

Sawmills--Olympia; Machinery; Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

Small sheets of plywood are being loaded from an Olympia sawmill directly onto a Northern Pacific car by three men on June 12, 1924. These will be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-023

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Plywood; Sawmills--Olympia; Railroad freight cars--Olympia;

Plywood operations. Workers at this Olympia sawmill are pictured in June of 1924 during daily plywood operations. Sheets of plywood are being laid out; stacks of plywood are in the fore-and-background. Photograph ordered by Pacific Mutual Door Co. G75.1-026

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Plywood; Sawmills--Olympia;

Five workers are pictured on June 12, 1924, in an Olympia mill loading sheets of plywood for the Pacific Mutual Door Co. The men wear gloves, overalls and the ever-present caps. G75.1-024

Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Sawmills--Olympia; Plywood;

On June 12, 1924, two unidentified workers lean their hands against the enormous cut log which will soon be hoisted and processed. The log will be made into sheets of plywood to be used by the Pacific Mutual Door Co. This photograph, in addition to a number of plywood operations shots, was taken in Olympia on behalf of the company. G75.1-027

Logs; Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930; Hoisting machinery;

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr ST, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr St, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

Henry Mill & Timber Company crane at 3001 N Starr St, Tacoma

Industries; Henry Mill & Timber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

St. Paul & Tacoma workers stand alongside a 48" x 48" x 70-foot sawn log on February 13, 1925. TPL-3237; G36.1-159

St. Paul & Tacoma Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

This was the Olympia plant of Washington Veneer Co., as pictured in April of 1925. The plywood company was less than a year old at the time, having been incorporated in June of 1924. It was located on land leased from the Port of Olympia, about 3/4th of a mile from Olympia's business center, and conveniently located near water and rail transportation. Already on site was a sawmill and retail lumber yard, both to be operated for many years by Washington Veneer. Plywood production began in February of 1925 at a rate of 65,000 feet daily. Among other innovations, manager Ed Westman installed the first belt-free lathe on the Pacific Coast. Marketing of Washington Veneer's panel production was handled primarily through the Wheeler-Osgood Company of Tacoma. A second plywood plant, called Capitol Plywood Co., was built about 1/4th mile from the site of the original plant in 1929. Washington Veneer was acquired several times and finally closed down in the late 1960s. (www.apawood.org) G73.1-011

Washington Veneer Co. (Olympia); Lumber industry--Olympia--1920-1930;

Four unidentified men gaze at a long line of railroad flat cars stacked with mahogany logs on May 1, 1925. The log train was bound for the Buffelen Lumber & Mfg. Co. The logs had arrived at the Port of Tacoma on the "Wheatland Montana" and were a product of the Philippines. The arrival of the logs marked a transition to direct transactions between the overseas grower and a Tacoma manufacturer. Prior to this, mahogany used in fine furniture, cabinets and other uses was brought here in board form. G36.1-030 (TNT 5-4-25, p. 6)

Logs; Railroad cars--Tacoma--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Buchanan Lumber Company crane at 3939 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Buchanan Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way;

Buchanan Lumber Company crane at 3939 Ruston Way, Tacoma

Industries; Buchanan Lumber Company; Cranes; Ruston Way

Henry Mill in Old Town. A new and very modern mill opened in Old Town on July 20, 1925, located on the waterfront at 3001 North Starr St. Henry Mill & Timber Co. would remain in business there until 1945 when it was taken over by the Tacoma Lumber Fabricating Co. During WWII, Henry Mill became active in prefabricated structures for the military. They specialized in bridges and hangars. TPL-2048; G36.1-143B

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The Henry Mill & Timber Co. had just begun operating in late July of 1925, just about two weeks before this photograph of the plant's exterior was taken. The plant took over two years to build due to difficulty in preparing the foundation. Built on the 26-acre waterfront site of the old Tacoma Mill Co., the sawmill was designed to use the most modern equipment. It started with a head saw, edger and trimmer. Finished products could be easily transported via ship or nearby railroad tracks. G36.1-143A (TNT 7-20-25, p. 16-article)

Henry Mill & Timber Co. (Tacoma); Mills--Tacoma--1920-1930; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Mountain Lumber Company crane at 919 E F St, Tacoma

Industries; Mountain Lumber Company; Cranes, Tideflats;

Two men are balanced on extremely long logs in this August 14, 1925, photograph. They are believed to be connected with the Peterman Mfg. Co. who were local door manufacturers. Peterman Manufacturing, according to an advertisement placed in the Tacoma Daily Ledger on April 8, 1925, produced quality fir doors and 3-ply fir veneer panels. TPL-9376; G36.1-066 (TDL 4-8-25, p. 4-ad)

Logs; Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Log dump next to railroad tracks as pictured on August 14, 1925. G36.1-086

Logs; Railroad tracks--Tacoma--1920-1930;

The "Silksworth" was docked at the Tidewater Mill, 3901 E. 11th St., the first stop of four, on November 19, 1925. She would continue on to the Defiance Lumber on November 22nd, and then on to Dickman and St. Paul mills. The Australian-bound vessel, on her first visit to Tacoma, was under the command of Captain R. Deans. The 429-foot "Silksworth" was a relatively new ship, in operation less than three years, and had a 53-foot beam. She would be taking 4,080,000 feet of lumber to Australia, 3 million feet of which would be loaded in Tacoma. As the ship is tied up at Tidewater, numerous logs, waiting to be processed, float in the waterway. The mill, located on the east side of the Hylebos Waterway, exported most of its timber. Because of its 750 feet of deep water moorage, Tidewater Mill was capable of loading several vessels at the same time. (photograph has been damaged) (TNT 11-21-25, p. 5-article on the "Silksworth")

Tidewater Mill Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Logs; Cargo ships--1920-1930; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. An elevated view of Defiance Lumber Company shows part of the facilities with a ship docked along Commencement Bay. The company was started in 1905 when L.L. Doud and others acquired a quarter of a mile of waterfront along the bay and installed the sawmill. In 1927 L.L. Doud was president of the company, Lee L. Doud served as secretary-treasurer and manager, and Donald H. Doud, sales manager. (TNT 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. Men unloading lumber from a ship at the Defiance Lumber Co. dock. The men are unloading cut lumber that appears to be almost two feet by two feet, showing why Tacoma was known as the "Lumber Capital of the World." A rolling crane emblazoned with the company's name can be seen in the background. The crane, of a type first built by Star Iron & Steel Co., was capable of lifting 5 tons from the dock to the ship. The Defiance Lumber Co. and mill was built in 1905 and closed in December of 1951, citing a lack of usable wood. (TNT 6/3/1926, pg. 9- different picture, article on cranes) GTPL-013, TPL-9541

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cargo ships--Tacoma; Shipping--Tacoma--1920-1930;

ca. 1925. The Defiance Lumber Company was an export mill. It cut 80,000,000 feet of lumber in 1926 and it was all shipped away to Europe, Asia, Australia, California, South America or the East Coast. The Defiance Mill did nothing but saw wood, and only fir wood. The plant had dry kilns with a capacity of 50,000 feet a day, a completely equipped planing mill and a lath mill adding to the completeness of the plant. (TNT, 8/10/1927) (filed with Argentum)

Defiance Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Lumber industry--Tacoma--1920-1930;