History Founding Incorporated in 1914, Bogalusa is one of the youngest towns in Louisiana. It was founded by Frank Henry Goodyear and Charles Waterhouse Goodyear, lumber barons of Buffalo, New York. In the early 1900s, the brothers bought hundreds of thousands of acres of virgin Longleaf pine forests in southeastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi for the timber and further their strategy to build railroad spurs to bring the wood to market. In 1902, they chartered the Great Southern Lumber Company (1908–38) and built the first sawmill in what became Bogalusa, a company town built to support the mill. The sawmill was the largest in the world at the time.LSU Libraries—Great Southern Lumber Company Collection Retrieved 2013-12-28 The Goodyear interests built the city of Bogalusa to house workers and supervisors, and associated infrastructure. They also built the Great Northern New Orleans Railroad to New Orleans to transport their lumber and products to market.
history founding incorporated in 1914 bogalusa is one of the youngest towns in louisiana it was founded by frank henry goodyear and charles waterhouse goodyear lumber barons of buffalo new york in the early 1900s the brothers bought hundreds of thousands of acres of virgin longleaf pine forests in southeastern louisiana and southwestern mississippi for the timber and further their strategy to build railroad spurs to bring the wood to market in 1902 they chartered the great southern lumber company (1908–38) and built the first sawmill in what became bogalusa a company town built to support the mill the sawmill was the largest in the world at the timelsu libraries—great southern lumber company collection retrieved 2013-12-28 the goodyear interests built the city of bogalusa to house workers and supervisors and associated infrastructure they also built the great northern new orleans railroad to new orleans to transport their lumber and products to market