Wilkins lumber
Encyclopedia
Wilkins Lumber is a small family owned business that is located in Milford, New Hampshire
. The lumber yard was opened in 1808, during the following years the yards equipment would be hydraulically run by Hartshorn Brook. This dilemma leads to the mill only operating when the water was high enough to generate power.
The original owner of the lumber yard was E.L. Hartshorn, in 1808. Although he could not do it alone, so with the help of relatives and neighbors began a business that has lasted over 200 years now. Over time the business was passed by season from one Hartshorn to another, E.L. Hartshorn turned over to Jotham who operated it through the mill seasons which required little farming of the trees. Jotham would later turn it over to Frank Hartshorn who went on to grow the sawmill through expansion of land, gaining nearly 1000 acres (4 km²). In 1880 Frank’s daughter married into a new family, when she wed Aaron M. Wilkins. The Wilkins family would take over and look to grow the business, the first order of business was to add a second story to incorporate box making. With the growth stream power became obsolete and around 1891(as the exact date is unknown) a steam plant was built to generate strong power through the summer months.
As the business continued to grow, the Great Depression
approached, Wilkins Lumber barely held on during this pressing time. Then in 1938 came a hurricane that blew down 90 percent of the family’s farmed trees, what they could salvage they sold and what was left was stored by the government in several locations. Going forward they were able to rebound and continued to sell lumber to many of the local builders. In 1950 the Mill was struck by lightning leaving nothing as all was burnt to the ground. The next step was rehabilitation, a smaller mill was constructed in replacement. Unfortunately in 1957, the Frank Hartshorn Company was liquidated with Harold H. Wilkins and his son Harold Hartshorn Wilkins, Jr. collecting all the assets.
Harold Wilkins would continue the mill under the name of Wilkins & Sons. In 1963 he was killed, forcing his son Harold Wilkins Jr. to take over, not long after he was joined by a nephew, Robert Wilkins. With the partnership the name changed to Wilkins Lumber Company in 1973.
In 1980 a new mill was built across the street from the original location, away from the stream. In 1981 Harold Wilkins Jr.’s grandson entered the business, Thomas A. Wilkins. Thomas went on to buy out fellow partner Robert Wilkins, and now resides as the sole owner of one of New Hampshire’s oldest mill.
Tom Wilkins lives by the motto, “What we saw is what you get!” as nothing is pressure treated or finished before the sale.
Milford, New Hampshire
Milford is a town in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States, on the Souhegan River. The population was 15,115 at the 2010 census. It is the retail and manufacturing center of a six-town area known informally as the Souhegan Valley....
. The lumber yard was opened in 1808, during the following years the yards equipment would be hydraulically run by Hartshorn Brook. This dilemma leads to the mill only operating when the water was high enough to generate power.
The original owner of the lumber yard was E.L. Hartshorn, in 1808. Although he could not do it alone, so with the help of relatives and neighbors began a business that has lasted over 200 years now. Over time the business was passed by season from one Hartshorn to another, E.L. Hartshorn turned over to Jotham who operated it through the mill seasons which required little farming of the trees. Jotham would later turn it over to Frank Hartshorn who went on to grow the sawmill through expansion of land, gaining nearly 1000 acres (4 km²). In 1880 Frank’s daughter married into a new family, when she wed Aaron M. Wilkins. The Wilkins family would take over and look to grow the business, the first order of business was to add a second story to incorporate box making. With the growth stream power became obsolete and around 1891(as the exact date is unknown) a steam plant was built to generate strong power through the summer months.
As the business continued to grow, the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
approached, Wilkins Lumber barely held on during this pressing time. Then in 1938 came a hurricane that blew down 90 percent of the family’s farmed trees, what they could salvage they sold and what was left was stored by the government in several locations. Going forward they were able to rebound and continued to sell lumber to many of the local builders. In 1950 the Mill was struck by lightning leaving nothing as all was burnt to the ground. The next step was rehabilitation, a smaller mill was constructed in replacement. Unfortunately in 1957, the Frank Hartshorn Company was liquidated with Harold H. Wilkins and his son Harold Hartshorn Wilkins, Jr. collecting all the assets.
Harold Wilkins would continue the mill under the name of Wilkins & Sons. In 1963 he was killed, forcing his son Harold Wilkins Jr. to take over, not long after he was joined by a nephew, Robert Wilkins. With the partnership the name changed to Wilkins Lumber Company in 1973.
In 1980 a new mill was built across the street from the original location, away from the stream. In 1981 Harold Wilkins Jr.’s grandson entered the business, Thomas A. Wilkins. Thomas went on to buy out fellow partner Robert Wilkins, and now resides as the sole owner of one of New Hampshire’s oldest mill.
Tom Wilkins lives by the motto, “What we saw is what you get!” as nothing is pressure treated or finished before the sale.