Historic Lumber Company Closing After 90 Years
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A historical piece of Warsaw came to an end Saturday. Miner Lumber Co., 731 W. Jefferson St., officially closed down after approximately 90 years of service.
William Miner opened the business around 1910. Under his ownership, the business flourished.
Around 1915, Miner Lumber Co. was named the largest employer in Kosciusko County.
Approximately five years later, William sold it to his four sons: Ray, Russ (Bus), Deke and Albert Miner.
"In 1956, lightning struck the lumber company and completely destroyed it, burned it down," William's grandson and Ray's son Bill Miner said. "One year later it was completely restored. They made a beautiful recovery and rebuilt the entire business."
Bill reminisced about childhood memories in the lumberyard.
"Growing up as a kid, I was down there all the time," he said.
Bill recalled helping out at the lumberyard and carrying sawdust for his dad and uncles.
"All the four Miner brothers were probably in their 80s and still working down there," Bill said. "It became too much of a burden for them."
So in the early 1970s, the Miner brothers sold the family business to Robert Wollfrum, who in turn sold to a warehouse just months ago.
And so goes the lifespan of Miner Lumber Co.
The historical lumberyard is never more, but its products and memories are spread throughout Indiana.
The lumber company sold wood to hardwood lumber manufacturers, including AMF Corp. in Warsaw.
AMF made bowling alleys and gymnasium floors out of the wood from Miner Lumber Co.
Bill believes almost every kid that played basketball or bowled in Indiana probably played on a surface supplied by Miner Lumber Co.
Chris Craft Boats from Warsaw bought all the solid walnut from Miner Lumber Co. to decorate their yachts. The interior trim on their custom yachts was made with Miner lumber.
The company also sold wood to furniture manufacturers, especially walnut and maple.
Other woods the lumberyard sold included: solid cherry, walnut, maple, poplar and various other hardwoods and soft pines.
"During the second war, Miner Lumber Co. provided a lot of the lumber that was used to make stretcher handles for the military," Bill said. "They worked with Arnoldt Corp." out of Warsaw.
Miner Lumber Co. also lives on through the frames of many Warsaw homes.
"About 1948, a gentleman named Henry Herscher came to my dad, Ray Miner, and at that time after the war, there was a lot of land development going on and he had many, many acres on the south end of Warsaw," Bill said. "He developed some beautiful homes in there."
The homes were built with wood from Miner Lumber Co. and are known today as the Herscher Addition.
Bill also said his Uncle Deke developed an addition on Winona Lake on Country Club Road, and his Uncle Albert developed an addition on the north side of Center Lake. Today it is known as the Miner Addition on Miner Drive.
"They did a lot of it," Bill said, referring to the labor involved with clearing lumber and timber.
"They were kind of pioneers," Bill said. "It's kind of a sign of the times, I think, anymore."
Today, there are a lot of substitutes for lumber.
"You don't see solid lumber anymore," Bill said. "It's all fabricated."
But Bill was left with something, besides memories, to remember the family business by.
"I have two or three bedroom suites made for my dad and grandfather," he said.
The pieces are made from solid walnut, something you don't find very often these days.
Bill explained further: "During the Depression, in Warsaw, one of the Miner Lumber Co. customers was a furniture manufacturer. The owner that bought the lumber got into financial trouble."
So, the lumberyard continued to supply the manufacturer with wood and agreed to accept payment when the owner could afford it, Bill said.
He also said the owner made "some beautiful solid walnut desks and furniture" out of some of the wood and offered them to Miner Lumber Co. as payment.
Today, Bill owns the antiques and cherishes them as part of his family history.
Bill lives in Carmel with his wife, Anne.
"We still have a lot of friends in Warsaw," Bill said. "We're still Warsaw guys."
Miner Lumber Co. will live on through the frames of homes, the antique desks and bedroom suites and the memories left with family members. [[In-content Ad]]
A historical piece of Warsaw came to an end Saturday. Miner Lumber Co., 731 W. Jefferson St., officially closed down after approximately 90 years of service.
William Miner opened the business around 1910. Under his ownership, the business flourished.
Around 1915, Miner Lumber Co. was named the largest employer in Kosciusko County.
Approximately five years later, William sold it to his four sons: Ray, Russ (Bus), Deke and Albert Miner.
"In 1956, lightning struck the lumber company and completely destroyed it, burned it down," William's grandson and Ray's son Bill Miner said. "One year later it was completely restored. They made a beautiful recovery and rebuilt the entire business."
Bill reminisced about childhood memories in the lumberyard.
"Growing up as a kid, I was down there all the time," he said.
Bill recalled helping out at the lumberyard and carrying sawdust for his dad and uncles.
"All the four Miner brothers were probably in their 80s and still working down there," Bill said. "It became too much of a burden for them."
So in the early 1970s, the Miner brothers sold the family business to Robert Wollfrum, who in turn sold to a warehouse just months ago.
And so goes the lifespan of Miner Lumber Co.
The historical lumberyard is never more, but its products and memories are spread throughout Indiana.
The lumber company sold wood to hardwood lumber manufacturers, including AMF Corp. in Warsaw.
AMF made bowling alleys and gymnasium floors out of the wood from Miner Lumber Co.
Bill believes almost every kid that played basketball or bowled in Indiana probably played on a surface supplied by Miner Lumber Co.
Chris Craft Boats from Warsaw bought all the solid walnut from Miner Lumber Co. to decorate their yachts. The interior trim on their custom yachts was made with Miner lumber.
The company also sold wood to furniture manufacturers, especially walnut and maple.
Other woods the lumberyard sold included: solid cherry, walnut, maple, poplar and various other hardwoods and soft pines.
"During the second war, Miner Lumber Co. provided a lot of the lumber that was used to make stretcher handles for the military," Bill said. "They worked with Arnoldt Corp." out of Warsaw.
Miner Lumber Co. also lives on through the frames of many Warsaw homes.
"About 1948, a gentleman named Henry Herscher came to my dad, Ray Miner, and at that time after the war, there was a lot of land development going on and he had many, many acres on the south end of Warsaw," Bill said. "He developed some beautiful homes in there."
The homes were built with wood from Miner Lumber Co. and are known today as the Herscher Addition.
Bill also said his Uncle Deke developed an addition on Winona Lake on Country Club Road, and his Uncle Albert developed an addition on the north side of Center Lake. Today it is known as the Miner Addition on Miner Drive.
"They did a lot of it," Bill said, referring to the labor involved with clearing lumber and timber.
"They were kind of pioneers," Bill said. "It's kind of a sign of the times, I think, anymore."
Today, there are a lot of substitutes for lumber.
"You don't see solid lumber anymore," Bill said. "It's all fabricated."
But Bill was left with something, besides memories, to remember the family business by.
"I have two or three bedroom suites made for my dad and grandfather," he said.
The pieces are made from solid walnut, something you don't find very often these days.
Bill explained further: "During the Depression, in Warsaw, one of the Miner Lumber Co. customers was a furniture manufacturer. The owner that bought the lumber got into financial trouble."
So, the lumberyard continued to supply the manufacturer with wood and agreed to accept payment when the owner could afford it, Bill said.
He also said the owner made "some beautiful solid walnut desks and furniture" out of some of the wood and offered them to Miner Lumber Co. as payment.
Today, Bill owns the antiques and cherishes them as part of his family history.
Bill lives in Carmel with his wife, Anne.
"We still have a lot of friends in Warsaw," Bill said. "We're still Warsaw guys."
Miner Lumber Co. will live on through the frames of homes, the antique desks and bedroom suites and the memories left with family members. [[In-content Ad]]