Description: Timber Connections traces the history of five generations of Joyces who collectively spent more than a century and a half building a lumber empire in North America. From a primitive sawmill in New England in the early 1800's, David Joyce ventured west to Lyons, Iowa in 1860 to partner with other lumber giants like Weyerhaeuser to build huge mills that supplied lumber for the American expansion. Logs floated down the Mississippi River from the northern tier states supplied the raw material. As the white pine supply receded northward, Joyce mills followed, and were constructed at Shell Lake, Wisconsin, Minneapolis, Minnesota as well as Deer River, Minnesota. Simultaneously, Joyce began using logging railroads as a necessary means to get to the remaining timber in the north. As prime white pine timber became depleted in Wisconsin and Minnesota, David Joyce's son William shifted focus to the relatively untapped southern yellow pine and cypress forests in Mississippi, East Texas, and Louisiana. The Texas venture continued into the modern age of logging as selective cutting and reforestation became the preferred practice, along with advanced milling and plywood production. Their logging railroad was important here as well. The last two Joyce generations continued the southern lumbering operations from their Chicago headquarters, but also took time to relax on a private estate they created in 1916 in the remote northern Minnesota lake country. Modeled on the Great Camps of the Adirondacks, their private resort was nestled within thousands of lake studded acres that had previously been the object of logging. The Joyces called it Nopeming or place of rest, but it was also known as the Joyce Estate to the local population. The grounds included the main lodge, many guest cabins, a small golf course, tennis court, pool hall, servants quarters, and many other buildings. At the time it was built, the water and electric systems were a marvel to the local population. It provided employment for a surprising number of local residents for many years. When the last Joyce died in 1972, the Joyce Estate lands were incorporated into the Chippewa National Forest and most of the family financial assets transferred to the Joyce Foundation in Chicago. Timber Connections explores the personal lives of the family members, but also weaves into its careful research the colorful stories of the communities that grew as a result of the Joyce's logging, milling, and eventually the operation of the Joyce Estate. Chapters cover each of the locations across the country where the Joyces pursued the lumber trade. High quality glossy paper and approximately 90 historical photographs and maps in 336 pages. Thorough footnotes, bibliography, index, interview list, and more. Nominated for the 2004 Minnesota Book Award.
Price: 40 USD
Location: Grand Rapids, Minnesota
End Time: 2024-02-28T00:21:38.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
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Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Format: Trade Paperback
Modified Item: Yes
Country: USA
Topic: Logging / Lumber / Logging railroads, Logging and mills in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Logging and mills in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Joyce Estate in Minnesota, 19th Century, 20th Century, Regional History
Region: North America
Country/Region of Manufacture: Canada
Modification Description: signed by author Warren Jewett
Language: English
Publication Year: 2003
Book Title: Timber Connections - The Joyce Lumber Story
Intended Audience: Young Adults, Adults
Author: Susan Hawkinson and Warren Jewett
Narrative Type: Nonfiction
Publisher: Bluewaters Press
Signed: Yes
Genre: History
Type: Illustrated Book
