Historically Mill City has always been, as the name implies, exclusively a mill town; logging, lumber, was king. From it's birth through the 1960's and into the '70's there was more than one mill operating within Mill City's corporate limits. One of the largest, long lived operations was Hammond Lumber Company. For most of the early part of the 1900's, into the 50's Hammond's mill, located virtually in the center of Mill City, was fed by the Hammond Railroad logging operation. Hammond Lumber Company also owned and operated the Hammond Hotel. The trains on which the logs came to town were owned by Hammond as were most of the tracks they ran on. Hammond Company housing may have been equal in number to the privately owned homes for much of the companies existence. They were good solid homes too, many are still standing, and in some areas of town someone who looks carefully will recognize whole blocks, entire streets, of homes as Hammond homes. The block I live on is occupied by my own home, (not Hammond), as well as five other houses; all originally Hammond Company Housing.
That's all changed now. Hammond Lumber Company no longer exists. The mills, the log trains, even the tracks are all part of the past. The old Train Depot still stands, now houses the Canyon Life Museum. Not to say the timber industry is dead, not at all. A fair share of Mill City residents still log, work in mills making lumber, plywood and any number of related operations. Log trucks are aplenty as are chip trucks which roll between the lumber mills and the pulp and paper industry plants. Timber isn't king any more. Still large, but not the exclusive economic force in Mill City. Tourism is strong. A plethora of small service businesses are thriving and a wedding chapel as well. The North Santiam River and lakes attract fishermen for the Trout and steel head fishing. White water enthusiasts by the caravan come year round to run the upper river.
Mill City has also become in part a bedroom community, many residents commute the 30 miles into Salem, Oregon's Capital City. Last but not least are the retired population. Those people, in my estimation, are this towns greatest treasure; probably somewhat slanted because they are also the source for many of my stories and articles. Most days at 10AM I need only go to the local coffee shop and sit with my parents classmates, listen to their yarns, and nearly always learn something more about life in the early days of Mill City and the Santiam Canyon.
It's a wonderful thing to live and work in my grandparents house. The same house I used to come and visit every Christmas and Thanksgiving of my youth.
Index
Railroad Grade #1.
Water Tower #0.
Museum #1.
Index