Mendocino Lumber Companies

Mendocino Mill

The first mill built in Mendocino (in 1852) was built on the headlands, but it was soon discovered that it was impractical to hual the logs out of the water at the base of the mill. Thus, a second mill at Mendocino was established in the spring of 1853 as the Redwood Lumber Company. Such was the initial success of this venture that the mill was producing 50,000 feet of lumber by the end of spring 1853. The company was reincorporated as the Mendocino Lumber Company in 1854 (probably after Henry Meiggs left town, leaving Ford and Willaims to face Meiggs' debts). By 1906, the company had been bought out by the Union Lumber Company and was reincorporated in 1908 as the Mendocino Redwood Company.

At times the mill would close for a few different reasons. There were strikes in 1916 and again in 1921. Also, in 1920 there was little or no water to run the boilers. The pipeline had to be extended up the river, just a little ways, where the rock pit is today.

Wages were lowered again in 1921 with very little say from the workers. A short time later their board at the cook house was dropped from $ 37.50 to $30.00 per month after having absorbed another five perecent cut in their wages.

The mill continued to operate during the Great Depression, albeit in a reduced capacity. By 1937, the milling of timber ended in Mendocino and the mill was dismantled in the 1940s. Boise Cascade bought the ULco in the 1960s, and the land was eventually purchased by state parks.

Bull Teams and the Railroad

Bull teams were used to bring logs over corduroy roads to points where dumped for such flotation. These places where the logs were dumped were called booms. Later, high lines and donkey (steam) engines were being used to bring logs to the river.

The railroad, which ran four locomotives owned by the Mendocino Lumber Company, probably never went over 25 miles in length. Logging lines tend to lay much temporary trackage in order to reach the layouts where trees are harvested.

The railroad was useful for more than just hauling logs. In the fall of 1912, Boyle's Camp was moved in its entirety. It was moved about five mile, just above the Laguna, in the Little North Fork. When moving, the cookhouse was cut in two and placed on cars, plus several train loads of cabins were also moved.