Albion Lumber Company Manufactures Redwood on Historic Mill Site

The name of "Albion" is historic, both in ancient, and in lumber. historv.

The first time that the name appears in the history of the world,was when Julius Caesar, Dictator of Rome when that city rvas mistress of the world, came in sight of the chalk cliffs of Wales on his great tour of conquest, and called them "Albion."

The name was brought to the new world by Sir Francis Drake. When he came to the Pacific Coast in 1579 and looked upon the mighty. waters ofthe Pacific, he called Northern California, "Nova Albion," or "New England."

And so the Albion River, that flows through the mighty Redwood forests intothe Pacific in Northern California, took and kept its name.

Andon this river lumber history was also made, for here, in 1851, during the great gold rush years, pioneers whose names we no longer know, built the first sawmill in that part of the world. They located it on the Albion River about three miles from its mouth, and they operated it by water power from the tidal flow of the ocean.

That is a long time ago, in lumber history.In those days they were just beginning to open up the great virgin forests of Michigan, which they then proudly boasted would last forever, so great was lheir volume. But they little counted on the great development of milling facilities, and the manner in whichthe trees would go wholesale to the saw. For the great White Pine forests of Michigan have been depleted and almost gone for many, many years. And those of Wisconsin, likewise mighty in their bulk, have also gone the-way of the saws, and ferv remain. Then Minnesota had her turn, and while they still manufacture wonderful pine in that state, also some in Wisconsin and Michigan, the volume is compar.atively small, and the remaining timber is in a ferv hands.

Then the South came in for a turn. and Yellow Pine had two geperations of activity and one of prosperity, while thetimber of the North declined. And the Northwest came in for her great turn, and began supplying the world with lumber.

And all this time they have been continually making Redwood lumber at Albion. A second mill, this one located at the mouth of the river, succeeded the first one, the change being made undoubtedly because of the remarkably fine shipping facilities afforded by this later location, the water furnishing ample room for the maneuvering of the sailing ships in use at that time, and was unobstructed by sand bars. Lumber has been continually shipped from thatport up to the present day, finding its destination largely on the California coast from San Francisco Bay to San Diego. In the beginning logs were harvested in close proximity to the mill, and floated to the plant in booms.

Since 1851 three mills have occupied the present mill site of The Albion Lumber Company. In the early 80's the property was acquired by Standish & Hickey, who, with their foresight backed by a large experience gained in the state of 'Michigan, enlarged and improved the plant, secured more timber holdings to back up the plant, and sold the enlarged properties to the present owners, The Albion Lumber Company, in 1897.

Gradually the Albion River basin was denuded of its virgin timber, and under Mr. Paul Dimmick, then manager for The Albion Lumber Company, a large additional body of timber was secured, and another large mill as well. These were the properties of the Pacific Coast Redwood Company and the Navarro Lumber Company, and both their properties were amalgamated with the possessions of

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