The Logging and Lumber Industry in Sherburne County

Logging on the Mississippi River
near the confluence of the Elk River

Logging and lumber industry seem to be overlooked as a factor in the growth of Sherburne County.  Scanning newspaper columns and searching the local histories of Elk River suggest an importance of logging and lumber to the county in the 19^th century.  The lumber mill, one of the first buildings in Elk River reinforces the important role of logging.  Equally significant to the lumber industry and the Elk River history was the boom company working in the Mississippi River. 

Lumber industry has long been recognized as significant to the settlement Elk River.  Some of the first structure built in the community included a dam and sawmill along the Elk River.  For several decades the mill in the community chopped up huge amounts of wood to be sold locally or transported to markets in the twin cities.  As early as 1878 the Orono sawmill reported processing 15,000 feet of lumber each day.  

In addition to the mills, the boom companies played a significant role in the county economy.  Boom companies were paid to sort and raft logs in the many rivers of Minnesota.  The mills and the logging companies paid the boom companies to sort logs by the brands attached to each log, and create rafts to float the logs to the appropriate mills.  The boom companies received upwards of 50 cents per 1000 feet of lumber.  Each year the boom companies around Elk River employed over 150 men.  

The Mississippi and Rum River Boom Company grew into a large boom company that controlled a significant amount of the river traffic around Elk River.  The company first organized in 1853 and through a series of legislative actions, the company controlled a major share of lumber rafting on the Mississippi River between Sauk Rapids and St. Anthony Falls.  

Columns in the Sherburne County Star News suggest the importance of the industry in the county.  The newspaper regularly tracked the boom company and its passage down the Mississippi River.  May 16, 1895, the newspaper reported “the boom company’s steamboat came up the Mississippi Tuesday on the first trip of the season.”  In August the paper tracked the flow of the boom company down the river.  The newspaper reported the first sighting in Monticello, and five days later passing Elk River.  “The boom company drive of about a hundred million feet of logs will be along here today or tomorrow.  There are 125 men on it, 50 of whom will be taken off at this place and sent back up river for the next drive.”  Eight days later, the boom company drive was reported between Dayton and Anoka.  Still later in the month, on August 29, the paper reported “another big drive of the boom company is passing here today.”    

  

The company continued to operate on the river for at least another twenty years.  In 1914, the Mississippi and Rum River Boom Company announced the construction of a new steamer.  The “steamer will be worth from $13,000 and $15,000 when she starts on her maiden trip upriver next spring.”  

  

Overtime, with improved transportation and shipping methods, the boom industry became obsolete.  Yet for a significant length of time the Mississippi and Rum River Boom Company served an important role in the history and economy of Sherburne County.  Although the industry receives little attention in the continuing history of Elk River, logging and lumber were clearly important to Sherburne County.