La Center’s logging industry began with the cutting of railroad ties in the late 1890’s. Within a seven mile radius there were about twelve saw mills engaged in cutting lumber and ties. These products were transported via flumes to dockside downtown and then shipped to Portland markets.

1901 — In January, the following flumes — all leading to or tying into three flumes that concluded at the La Center waterfront on the west side of the bridge — were reported to be operational or near completion:

 1) The La Center Mill flume, three miles in length;

2) The Wilson Mill flume, three and one-half miles in length;

3) The West Highland Mill flume, six miles in length;

4) The East Highland Mill flume, 7 miles in length with several high trestles of 72 feet, 90 feet,100 feet and 114 feet;

5) The Wilson and Oleson Mill flume, seven miles long;

6) The Columbia Mill flume, five miles long;

7) The Columbia Lumber and Tie Company flume, five miles long.

The Highland flume was 114 feet high!!

Photos left at the museum by an anonymous donor May 31, 2023

From our LC Historical Museum Vice President, Ed Brannfors –

Some of you have heard talk of the old “portable” sawmills that were used in many areas around La Center. The attached video is a reassembly of Ted Johnson’s brothers old mill which was last located off of Finalburg Road. I bought it for my Dad who hoped to reassemble it on our farm property in the mid 1980’s. He passed away in 1988 and my brother Robert took the pieces and reassembled them at his 10 acres on the south side of Bald Mountain (94th Ave}. These mill were hardly portable in the sense we think of today, but they were capable of being disassembled and transported as pieces and reassembled elsewhere. I believe Nick Rashford owned several such mills. This video was taken in 1990 by another family member while the mill was just being run for one of its first trials.

Click HERE to see the video –

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