Extensive research by the Texas Forestry Museum led to the development of two electronic databases relating to the history of forestry in the state.
The East Texas Sawmill Data Base© documents 4,665 sawmills or other forest product mills that have operated in the state since the first recorded mills in 1819. Research was limited to the fifty-four eastern-most counties. Information in each record, when it is known, includes the corporate and local name, location of the mill, years of operation, ownership, power used to operate the mill, whether the mill was a pine, cypress or hardwood mill, and associated railroads, if any.
The East Texas Sawmill Database© received the American Association for State & Local History Award of Merit in 1995.
The East Texas Tram and Railroad Data Base© documents the many trams and railroads that were run as sawmill company lines. Three hundred and thirty-three of these logging railroads are detailed. Information included in each record includes the ownership, counties of operation, and whether the line was narrow or standard gauge.
Bibliographic citations for each mill or railroad are incorporated into each record.
View the Tram and Railroad Database >>
The Texas Forestry Museum offers several opportunities for research.
The museum's Jack McMullen Library holds reference material on forestry, forest management, ecology, environmental history, and forest history. Emphasis is on older material not readily available at other libraries.
Access to the East Texas Sawmill Database© and the East Texas Tram and Logging Railroads Database© is available at the library.
The Texas Forestry Museum archives has holdings of various records collections.
Older or rare books are held in the archives of the museum, and must be retrieved by staff. All photographs and archival material is held in secure storage.
It is highly recommended that persons interested in doing research at the museum make an appointment to assure that staff will be available for assistance.
Researchers must make an appointment to access the collections. A Research Request form must be submitted at least one week prior to the appointment date. Only staff may retrieve collections held in the archives of the museum. Fees for research assistance are:
The Jack McMullen library and archives, located in the museum's Education and Research Center at 1907 Atkinson Drive, are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.,except for major holidays, and closed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.