|
A Brief History of
Delson Lumber
Originally founded in 1945, Delson Lumber began as a
small sawmill located on the industrial waterfront of
Olympia, Washington. Local business man and entrepreneur
Delta V. Smyth and his partners began sawing Douglas Fir
which was logged from the hills surrounding the South
Puget Sound.
Delta had several ventures in Olympia, the most notable
being Delta V. Smyth Tugs and Barges. He and his brother
Harold were also co-founders of the Hardel Plywood Co.
|
~ The Hardel plywood
plant on West Bay Drive, Olympia,WA. circa 1950 |
During a time when there were as
many as 11 sawmills in operation along the Olympia waterfront,
Delta’s fleet of tugs were kept busy towing rafts of logs to and
from the booming grounds of Budd Inlet.
~ Delta V. Smyth Tugs and
Barges circa 1940
Delta Smyth eventually bought out
his partners in the Delson mill and his son Wayne began managing
the operation. In the years that followed, Delson Lumber
developed a reputation as a producer of high quality select and
clear fir cuttings which were sold throughout the US and
overseas. In the 1970’s the mill was modernized to cut
dimensional lumber as it transitioned away from large logs to
the more readily available second growth Doug fir.
|
Delson Builds a
Western Red Cedar Mill
and a National Brand
In 1980 Wayne Smyth
built a new small log mill near Shelton, WA. The
original intent was to supply the Delson mill with
Doug Fir cants. But soon the new mill began cutting
second growth Western Red Cedar. And within 5 years
a planing mill and remanufacturing facility were
added to produce Cedar bevel siding, paneling,
decking, and boards.
|
|
|
 |
|
By the 1990s dry kilns
were installed and later a high recovery fencing
mill was added to the Shelton facility. Through
innovation, a commitment to quality, and aggressive
marketing, the Skookum brand became the top selling
knotty WRC siding in the US. |
|
 |
|
The New Delson
Lumber - a Specialty Wholesale Distributor
Delson Lumber has deep
roots in the forest products industry of Washington
State. Our background as a manufacturer provides us
with the knowledge and understanding of specialty
wood products that serves our customers well. The
new Delson Lumber, as a wholesale distributor of
these products, brings to the marketplace a
perspective and insight into the modern day industry
that can only come from having been a part of its
past. |
| |
|
|
