The Tolleson tradition began in 1919 when J. Meade Tolleson, along with his good friend L.O. Benton, opened a sawmill business at Hayneville, Georgia. These same two gentlemen, both natives of Monticello, Georgia, started Big Indian Lumber Company at Grovania, Georgia in 1920. In 1925, Mr. Mell Smith joined "Cap", as Mr. Tolleson was often called, in Big Indian. In 1925, Mr. Tolleson and Mr. Smith moved to Avon Park, Florida where together they continued in the lumber business.
The lumber business in Avon Park fell victim to the Great Depression. In 1929, Mr. Tolleson returned to Perry where he purchased a sawmill from H.F. Moore Lumber Company and renamed the business Tolleson Lumber Company. For years following this purchase there were small mills (called pecker wood mills) located on the yard and surrounding areas.
Around 1955, a large pine mill was built on the back side of the property. Although the mill is no longer in service, it still remains on the property. Tolleson Lumber became incorporated on January 1, 1948.
Around 1958, Mr. Tolleson purchased a small town in South Georgia's Ben Hill County called Relee. Relee consisted of several houses and a small sawmill. Shortly after its purchase, Relee was sold. An additional sawmill and planer mill were built at Mystic, Georgia in 1951 and operated until the purchase of the Rountree - Hunter Sawmill in Fitzgerald in 1961.
Rountree - Hunter had been a sawmill previously, but it burned and Tolleson rebuilt it. This mill later burned again, but this time was not rebuilt. In 1967, as Tolleson continued to grow, the Buff property in Perry, Georgia was purchased. A band mill and planer mill were built on the property, kilns were added and improvements continued to be made almost yearly. Today's sales office is located on the Perry Veneer property purchased from Marion Brown in 1978. In 1980, Tolleson expanded its operation to Cullman, Alabama where a band mill-planer was purchased and operated until it burned down in 1990 and was sold. In 1986, the mill in Preston, Georgia was purchased by Tolleson. The mill at Preston continues to operate along with the Perry mill.
In March 2011 ILIM Timber Industry, a leading International forest products company, acquired controlling interest in Tolleson Lumber Company. This acquisition in North America is a next step in ITI's strategy to become an industrial global leader in terms of presence in key markets of Asia, Europe and America. The corporate offices and sales offices of Tolleson Lumber Company remain located in Perry, Georgia. Through the years at Tolleson many things have changed. There are some things, however, that haven't changed. Tolleson remains committed to excellence in products and services. We want to assure each of our valued customers that our commitment to long term relationships will continue along with service and quality standards they have grown accustomed to since 1919.
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