The Sawmill IndustryOne of the first sawmills in the Plaquemine area of Iberville Parish was erected on the Milly Plantation by Mr. Francois Duplesis in 1809. From this early beginning, lumber eventually became the heart of the economy of Plaquemine and reached its peak around 1910. In 1905 Plaquemine was referred to as the “Cypress City” for its abundance of cypress trees in the parish. In fact, the home of Dr. F. J. Kearny was put on a barge in the Mississippi River and shipped to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair to advertise the cypress in this area. Since then, many mills have come and gone, and eventually there were none. The following are a few of the those many saw mills.

View of the Schwing Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Sawmill from Bayou Plaquemine in 1906

Schwing Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Sawmill (1906)

Schwing Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Planing Mill (1906)

The Second Schwing Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Mill After a Fire Destroyed the First Sawmill

Wilbert “Big Jim” Sawmill on the Left Side - The large number of lumber stacks extend to Gauthier Street. The building on the right was the Nobert Marionneaux home. This photograph was taken in the early 1930’s.

A. Wilbert’s Sons Lumber and Shingle Co. Sawmill (1906)

The Levert Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Sawmill at Crescent on Bayou Plaquemine (1906)

The Levert Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Planing Mill at Crescent on Bayou Plaquemine (1906)

The White Castle Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Located in White Castle, La. (circa 1900)

The White Castle Lumber and Shingle Co. Ltd. Door and Sash Factory at White Castle, La. (circa 1900)

Lumber Yard and Mill of Wilson & Cochran Located in Maringouin, La. (1906)