Remembering Truckee's Last Lumber Mill
By Heidi Sproat
(Above) If you click on the icon above, you will be taken to a short youtube video of what a lumber mill whistle may have sounded like.
Looking through old copies of the Sierra Sun newspapers, I came across two intriguing articles about what was called the “Truckee Lumber Mill.”
In two 2005 Gordon Richards articles about the various Truckee railyard roundhouses, he wrote that the third Truckee roundhouse, built of granite and steel, was condemned due to a failing roof. The roof was removed in 1939, but the walls and turntable were still standing until 1955 when the remainder of the roundhouse was torn down and the site was converted into a sawmill. There is a suggestion that the granite blocks were disbursed around Truckee, some ending up in gardens and walkways.
The “balloon track” at the east end of Truckee was built in 1901 in order to allow snowplow trains to turn around instead of on a “turntable”. This picture may help you to visualize.
TMC M0097 or TMC M0052 – March 1916
In two 2005 Gordon Richards articles about the various Truckee railyard roundhouses, he wrote that the third Truckee roundhouse, built of granite and steel, was condemned due to a failing roof. The roof was removed in 1939, but the walls and turntable were still standing until 1955 when the remainder of the roundhouse was torn down and the site was converted into a sawmill. There is a suggestion that the granite blocks were disbursed around Truckee, some ending up in gardens and walkways.
The “balloon track” at the east end of Truckee was built in 1901 in order to allow snowplow trains to turn around instead of on a “turntable”. This picture may help you to visualize.
TMC M0097 or TMC M0052 – March 1916
A 2016 colorized map might help to orient you better.
According to the Chapter 3 of the Community Context of the Truckee Railyard Master Plan, reference is made that there was a rebirth of lumber in Truckee in the late 1950s. Burney Lumber Company built a large mill which could process up to 45 million board feet a year.* The Mill was owned by different organizations including Douglas Lumber Company, Fibreboard Corporation, and Louisiana-Pacific and Fibreboard (again). For a more detailed history of the Fibreboard Corporation, see their history. At one point, this same lumber company Fibreboard owned and operated both Sierra-at-Tahoe and Northstar-at-Tahoe ski resorts.
A few tidbits about Fibreboard’s Truckee lumber site:
A few tidbits about Fibreboard’s Truckee lumber site:
- Procurement Assistance Program of the USA, p. 171 shows the Douglas Lumber Co. mill produced 43,500,000 board feet in 1970, 45,400,000 in 1971, 48,500,000 in 1972, 48,500,000 in 1973, and 52,700,000 board feet in 1974. Three (3) sawmills in California owned by Fibreboard are located in three small mountain communities, i.e., Sonora, Truckee and Burney.
- According to a Fibreboard timeline, Fibreboard acquired mill facilities of Douglas Lumber Co., in Truckee, in 1967. Small Business Timber Set-Asides.
- 2 Truckee logging contractors were noted: Geo. Kaspian, and Geo. B. Knoff. Sierra Sun article; and photo.
- Listing of Fibreboard Paper Products Corporation offices and managers in Truckee
- Listed in Truckee, for Burney Lumber Sales, Sidney Topol and Byron Topol Partners
But times change and in 1989, the Truckee Lumber Mill closed as the last operating lumber mill in Truckee, and one of the last steam-driven mills in the west. At that time, the mill employed close to 100 people, some of whom worked at the mill for 25 years. Truly an end to an era. Shortly thereafter, in 1993, the town incorporated as residents and planners saw the need to move to a different industry model to plan for Truckee’s future.
The Truckee Railyard Master Plan shows a map with the balloon track cleared.
The Truckee Railyard Master Plan shows a map with the balloon track cleared.
A very artistic rendition of what the mill looked like can be found on the front cover of the Northwoods magazine from December 2001, below. The Mill design was done by artist Audrey Dygert (1922-2010).
and a second view
I found a few other gems about the mill.
David Bunker 2006
David Bunker 2006
I also found a September 24, 1989 article from the Reno Gazette Journal about the closing of the mill.
A few other wonderful Truckee lumber mill images – sources unknown. If you know where these images are from, or who took the pictures, please let us know at [email protected].
The next (four) 4 images are from the Fibreboard Mill in the 1950s. The balloon track is clearly visible in the foreground on the right hand side. Looking southwest from atop what is now Truckee Way.
The next (four) 4 images are from the Fibreboard Mill in the 1950s. The balloon track is clearly visible in the foreground on the right hand side. Looking southwest from atop what is now Truckee Way.
(Above) Burney Lumber Mill Railyard in Truckee (per Jerry B. 2/25/2024 article)
(Below) Truckee’s Lumber Mill in the late 1950s, in the first image looking southeast. Again, notice the balloon track. In the second image, notice the mill pond for the logs.
(Below) Truckee's Balloon Track sometime in the 1970s.
Jerry Blackwill wrote a nice article published in the Sierra Sun in 2004 titled The Legacy of timber: A historical journey through Truckee’s lumber industry. This article dealt more with lumbering at Hobart Mills than at the Truckee Lumber Mill.
As usual, looking for other information, we came across these aerial images from the John Corbett collection. All but the first image show different aerial views of the old Truckee Lumber mill. We do not have dates on any of these images, but know they were taken before 1989 when the mill closed down.
(Below) Looking west with a view of the Truckee Veterans Memorial Building and Rocking Stone Tower. We know the image is sometime between 1940-1989.
As usual, looking for other information, we came across these aerial images from the John Corbett collection. All but the first image show different aerial views of the old Truckee Lumber mill. We do not have dates on any of these images, but know they were taken before 1989 when the mill closed down.
(Below) Looking west with a view of the Truckee Veterans Memorial Building and Rocking Stone Tower. We know the image is sometime between 1940-1989.
(Below) Looking west towards Donner Lake (center top). Truckee Lumber Mill sprawled out in the balloon track and eastward. Note I80 is complete so the image is between 1964-1989. Note the ribbon of blue evidencing the Truckee River. In the top far left are the Coldstream ponds, sandwiched among the Southern Pacific Railroad track, Interstate 80, and the western part of Deerfield Drive. See this current google map (google earth pro) to orient you. Because the Veterans Building is a “mustard” yellow color in this picture, this image was probably taken in the 1960s. A USGS 1955 topo map (google earth pro) shows the balloon track outline. A USGS 1992 top map shows the “Gravel Pits”/Coldstream Ponds. A 1992 Google Earth historical map (google earth pro) shows both the balloon track and the gravel pits/ponds.
(Below) Looking southeast. Note Interstate 80 and Highway 267 heading south.
(Below) Looking west. Donner Lake in the distant right, Interstate 80, and Glenshire Drive at the intersection of Truckee Way is clearly visible.
(Below) Looking mostly south, slightly west. Notice the Truckee River ribbon in the middle of the photo.
PLEASE contact us at [email protected] if you have more information or can offer further insight or identification into any of these images. We would love to hear form you.
HCS 12/6/2025
HCS 12/6/2025
