The Southern Forest Heritage Museum and Research Center provides an insight into the amazing era of lumber in our nation's history with the most complete historic sawmill complex in the South. Part of the Crowell & Spencer Lumber Company (eventually known as the Crowell Lumber Industries), the mill at Long Leaf consisted of a Planer Mill, Power Plant, Roundhouse, Machine Shop, Car Knocker, Fuel house, Sawmill, Turbine, Power House and two Dry Kilns. The museum boasts of an extensive collection of steam-powered logging and milling equipment that was left here at the mill after closing or donated to be preserved. Each building is filled with various equipment, such as the McGiffert Log Loader, Clyde Log Skidder, Clyde Double Dum-cable Outhaul Log Skidder, Corliss Steam Engine, and much more!
Lumbering in thousands of sawmill towns were responsible for the economic recovery of the South following the Civil War. Workers, both black and white, come into sawmill towns where they received training that moved them into the industrial age.
Long Leaf was a sawmill town which consisted of workers and their families. Lumber workers were provided medical care, access to churches for worship, a school for their children, and a commissary where food stuff and supplies were available. Life in these towns helped shape the society and culture of the South.
Come see the golden age of the lumber industry in Louisiana and learn about sustainable forestry practices continued today!
