Text Box: SAWMILLING HISTORY TIMELINE 1828: The REICHARD brothers built the sawmill in Petersburg ON just southwest of Kitchener (at the time Berlin) in 1828. Steam powered, line and shaft with circular blade. 1851: John WALTER built the first sawmill in the south, upriver, branch of the Big Head river now called Walter’s creek on the 300 acres he bought the previous year which is now the hamlet of Walter’s Falls. 1878: John S HALLMAN purchased the REICHARD mill in Petersburg and it was operated by his son Jacob C HALLMAN. 1868: Richard OLMSTEAD bought the sawmill from John WALTER in Walter’s Falls. 1890: Walter’s Falls, The OLMSTEADS rebuilt the mill on the same site after a fire. 1928: After 50 years of production at Petersburg, Gordon B HALLMAN, Jacob’s son, made a commemorative calendar, himself 30 years of age. 1943: Around 1943 Gordon B and his two sons Willard G and Robert C seriously considered the purchase of the sawmill at Inglis Falls, but decided that they couldn’t afford the price. 1944: In the spring of the year Gordon bought the Walter’s Falls Sawmill for Willard at the age of 26. Tragically, later that year, in the fall of 1944 Gordon was killed in the bush by a fallen tree. Robert continued operation of the Petersburg mill at the age of 18. 1950: The two operations were brought together into the same company. 1967: the company with both mills was incorporated as Willard G Hallman Lumber Ltd. 1979: Willard G HALLMAN passed away November of 1979 and his son John W HALLMAN assumed operation of the company. 1982: John W purchased a Sawmill from Howard MCNABB just south of Owen Sound on Hwy 6-10 in the spring. 1984: The Walter’s Falls sawmill was destroyed by fire. A large crowd watched the blaze of the 90 year old wood constructed mill. The light of the fire could be seen from as far away as Chatsworth. 1986: The rebuilt Walter’s Falls sawmill began operation, on a site just south of the original. This mill is the operation currently in use. 1988: The Owen Sound operation was dismantled and the land sold to PEARCE Moving Co. The mill equipment was later sold and relocated to northern Ontario for operation. 1990: Petersburg mill sold to TOWNSEND Lumber and is today in operation by Dave TOWNSEND as Kitchener Forest Products. Today: Willard G Hallman Lumber Ltd is a sole operation in Walter’s Falls jointly owned and operated by John W HALLMAN and his son Paul W HALLMAN. HOME ABOUT US HISTORY REAL ESTATE FOR SALE