Silverhill Sawmill

     Oscar Johnson had finished building his own home in the center of Silverhill in 1897-1898. He proceeded to build his realty office, completing it by June 1898. Then the Swedish settlers began buying land and moving into the Silverhill area.

     Dr. Edwin Slosson had built a sawmill at Fish River near the Clay City area in 1892. His lumber supplied many of these early structures.

     Even as Silverhill was growing, Fairhope began to also grow. There became a greater demand for lumber and other building supplies.

     Seeing this need, Oscar Johnson with the backing of the Svea Land Colony in Chicago, ordered the construction of a steam-powered sawmill. The sawmill was up and running by February 1902.

A page taken from the Svea Land Colony's early promotional booklet distributed in 1907 and earlier shows Gilbert Jackson and Earl Anderson working at the sawmill. The Swedish script reads: "Silverhill's sawmill with accessories. Everything you need for house building is manufactured on site. Lumber is cheap."

     Gust Sundeen, who was the manager of the sawmill, felt the urgency to keep the mill producing nearly day and night. The mill had been in operation over a year and a half when, on October 30, 1903, the sawmill was completely destroyed by fire.

     By the first of the year, 1904, the mill was already rebuilt and back in action. Later this same year, Oscar Johnson also opened a kiln and brick works business, which did not prove as successful as the sawmill so remained in operation only a short time.

Silverhill Sawmill - Click to Enlarge.

     Gust Sundeen continued to manage the sawmill into 1915. When Gust applied for citizenship in June 1921, he was 50 years of age and states that he was a farmer. His physical description said that he was missing his thumb and forefinger of his right hand. We may assume that he lost part of his hand while working in the sawmill and retired from that work, possibly in 1915 when he is mentioned in the Foley Onlooker as being on the sick list.

     By the 1920s and 30s, many more sawmills were in operation in Baldwin County. The Silverhill sawmill dicontinued operations.

This photo was printed in the Baldwin Times November 11, 1971, in celebration of Silverhill's 75th Anniversary of founding.	This photo was printed in the Silverhill News Supplement in about 1903 or before.

     Locations:

One location of the sawmill was on the northern banks of Polecat creek, south of Vasko Road. This structure no longer exists today.

Another location of the sawmill was on the western banks of Silver Creek, between highway 104 and county road 52. This structure no longer exists today.

     Interesting facts:

1. The sawmill was located near the creek for a source of water for the boiler.


2. Depending on its size, a boiler could power several steam engines in the sawmill.


3. The sawmill's boiler was fueled by a firebox with the scrap wood and sawdust produced by the sawmill.

     Find more information on similar steam-powered sawmills at the Sturgeon's Mill website.

Newspaper Clippings of
The Silverhill Sawmill
Click each to enlarge.

Fairhope Courier, Sun. Jun. 15, 1902
The Foley Onlooker, Wed. Jan. 28, 1914	The Foley Onlooker, Wed. Jan. 27, 1915
The Foley Onlooker, Thu. Oct. 30, 1919	The Foley Onlooker, Thu. May 26, 1955