Research: Sawmill Database

Alpha-Numeric Key: UP-32
Corporate Name: Douglas Newsom Sawmill
Local Name:
Owner Name: Douglas Newsom Sawmill
Location: Ore City
County: Upshur
Years in Operation: 14 years
Start Year: 1953
End Year: 1966
Decades: 1950-1959,1960-1969
Period of Operation: 1953 to 1966
Town: Ore City
Company Town: 2
Peak Town Size: Unknown
Mill Pond:
Type of Mill: Rough and dressed lumber, and other manufacturing
Sawmill Pine Sawmill Hardwood Sawmill Cypress Sawmill
Planer Planer Only Shingle Paper
Plywood Cotton Grist Unknown
Other
Power Source: Unknown
Horse Mule Oxen Water
Water Overshot Water Turbine Diesel Unknown
Pit Steam Steam Circular Steam Band
Gas Electricity Other
Maximum Capacity: 
Capacity Comments: Unknown
Produced:
Rough Lumber Planed Lumber Crossties Timbers
Lathe Ceiling Unknown Beading
Flooring Paper Plywood Particle Board
Treated Other
Equipment: Sawmill and planing mill
Company Tram:
Associated Railroads: Unknown
Historicial Development: The Douglas Newsom sawmill and planing mill was listed in the Directory of Texas Manufacturers 1956-1958. The Douglas Newsom Sawmill at Ore City, in 1966, employed less than ten workers, according to Samson's directory of that year. The mill produced rough and dressed lumber plus other items of manufacturing. In November 1953, Texas Parade carried a short article about the Doug Newsom sawmill near Ore City. Newsom was milling some very large cypress and pine logs, some as old as seventy-five years. These logs, known as “sinkers,” were discovered by Newsom in Big Cypress Bayou during a drought. The low water in the Bayou exposed the logs. Recovering these logs was a slow process, but Newsom was milling fifty thousand feet a month from the recovered sawtimber.
Research Date: MCJ 05-03-96
Prepared By: M. Johnson