| Alpha-Numeric Key: | WK-93 |
| Corporate Name: | Walker County Lumber Company |
| Local Name: | |
| Owner Name: | Oliphint Lumber Company with Clarence D. Oliphint with L. P. Duett and J. P. Morrow. Trinity River Lumber Company, a division of Foster Lumber Company. Walker County Lumber Company. Thomas S. Foster. A. C. Ford |
| Location: | Elmina |
| County: | Walker |
| Years in Operation: | 30 years |
| Start Year: | 1905 |
| End Year: | 1934 |
| Decades: | 1900-1909,1910-1919,1920-1929,1930-1939 |
| Period of Operation: | 1905 to 1934. Bought from Trinity River Lumber Company in 1905. |
| Town: | Elmina, earlier Oliphant's Switch |
| Company Town: | 1 |
| Peak Town Size: | 500 in 1905, 1500 in 1928; 1000 in 1934 |
| Mill Pond: |  |
| Type of Mill: | Manufacturers of pine lumber.
| Sawmill |
Pine Sawmill |
 Hardwood Sawmill |
Cypress Sawmill |
| Planer |
Planer Only |
Shingle |
Paper |
| Plywood |
Cotton |
Grist |
Unknown |
| Other |
|
|
|
|
| Power Source: | Steam
| Horse |
Mule |
Oxen |
Water |
| Water Overshot |
Water Turbine |
Diesel |
Unknown |
| Pit |
Steam |
Steam Circular |
Steam Band |
| Gas |
Electricity |
Other |
|
|
| Maximum Capacity: | 100000: 1915 100000: 1928 |
| Capacity Comments: | 100,000 feet daily in 1915; 100,000 feet daily each on sawmill and planer in 1928. |
| Produced: |
| Rough Lumber |
Planed Lumber |
Crossties |
Timbers |
| Lathe |
Ceiling |
Unknown |
Beading |
| Flooring |
Paper |
Plywood |
Particle Board |
| Treated |
Other |
| |
|
| Equipment: | Sawmill and probably a planing mill. 1928: Circular sawmill, planing mill, edgers, trimmers, dry kilns, electric light plant. |
| Company Tram: | |
| Associated Railroads: | International & Great Northern |
| Historicial Development: | This company had early connections with the Foster Lumber Company and the Thompson Family lumber interests, for Thomas S. Foster was vice-president in Thompson & Tucker and president of Walker County Lumber in 1905. Research by W. T. Block strongly supports his assertion that in a settlement with his brothers after the death of their father, president of Foster Lumber Company, of Kansas City, Missouri, that Walker County Lumber Company became the sole property of Thomas S. Foster. He continued to use the name of Oliphint's Switch for a year or two before changing it to Elmina. A. C. Ford of the Palmetto Lumber Company bought out the Walker County Lumber company at Elmina in 1911. It was listed in a 1915 directory of sawmills as having a daily cutting capacity of 100,000 feet. The mill could cut and dress boards and timbers up to twenty-eight feet. The mill's output was 65% board stock and 35% ties.
The Huntsville Item of May 21, 1925, reported that Vaughan Lumber Company and A. C. Ford owned the company. In 1931, Vaughan Lumber Company was marketing the mill's output, and, presumably, still owned the company. Fire destroyed the sawmill in September, 1931. The planer continued for another three years. The plant was listed in the Lumbermen's Credit Rating Book, October 1934. The necessity to haul timber at longer distances, plus the economic nature of the times, caused the company to work at a loss. The mill closed in 1934, people moved away, the houses were sold and moved, and the town became a ghost town of Walker County history. |
| Research Date: | JKG 10-15-93, MCJ 03-31-96 |
| Prepared By: | J. Gerland, M. Johnson |