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Screaming Sawmills
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Celebrate Our History
The Friends Of The Aberdeen Museum (Now History 98520)
The History 98520 Windows Project celebrates the America 250 Campaign by highlighting the history of Aberdeen and Grays Harbor. During 2026 we will unveil local history in a new building each month. Images here depict scenes from the lumber industry.
Aberdeen was the world’s largest lumber shipping port in 1926. In order for timber to become lumber, it must be milled. At one time there were 43 mills, including 14 sawmills along the Wishkah and Chehalis Rivers. These sawmills were supported by numerous related businesses. Lumber was milled, moved by rail, truck and ship. The streets of Aberdeen were composed of planks and compressed sawdust, and excess sawdust was burned on cone shaped burners, sometimes called wigwams or hog burners. The harbor was noisy, with steam whistles, bells, whirring saws and conveyances all adding to the cacophony. The air was thick with smoke and soot. Stacks of lumber lined the rail lines and wharves awaiting shipment to far flung places and the rivers teemed with ships. Lumber barons and mill owners made their fortunes from the rich timber harvests. Along with industrialization came unruly workers and disagreements between management and labor, resulting in strikes and riots.
The History98520 Windows Project celebrates the America250 Campaign by thighlighting local history. The project is sponsored by History98520 and its partners: Downtown Aberdeen Association, Aberdeen LTAC Committee, Jones Photo Historical Collection, Polson Museum, Chehalis Valley Historical Society, WA250, the Shirt House and local building owners.
