In the early to mid-1900s the logging industry had access to first-growth forests that held some of the biggest and slowest growing Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Western Larch trees Canada has seen. As you may know, the slower a tree grows, the stronger the wood is. This highly prized wood built many of the farmhouses, warehouses, and of course, the iconic wooden grain elevators that marked the prairies.
When the wooden grain elevators started to be taken down, Lincoln contacted the demolition companies explaining the irreplaceable value of the timber. Instead of the material possibly ending up in a landfill or being burned, it was an important shift to dismantle these buildings to not damage the timber and ensure the wood could have a second life. To date, Last Mountain Timber has reclaimed timber from over 200 grain elevators and a dozen warehouses
We feel a sense of great responsibility in preserving and repurposing these old-growth timbers. Not only have they sat in timber form, part of historical and sentimental buildings for up to a century, but also grew for hundreds of years in natural forests providing habitat for generations of plants and animals. By repurposing this reclaimed wood we reduce the demand for new trees to be cut down, minimize our collective carbon footprint, and help to create one-of-a-kind architecture and spaces with an abundance of history.
Last Mountain Timber is proud to be a contributor to the preservation of some of the world’s finest old-growth wood. Our recycled timbers dried naturally for decades in their first structural application and deliver unmatched strength and beauty. Each piece we use in your project is a reminder of past generations and will remain that way for generations to come.
