Mead Lumber History
The History and Legacy of
MEAD LUMBER
Serving Our Customers since 1910
1910
Morton Mead founded Mead Lumber by purchasing
Parkhurst Lumber Company in Ashland, NE with partner,
Dan Sullivan, who sold his interest to Morton a few years later.
1922
Lyman Mead graduates from college and moves to Torrington, WY to start his career in the lumber business.
1925
Lyman joins his father Morton in Ashland to work full time.
1927
After Morton Mead’s passing, Lyman assumes leadership of the company.
1932
All of Morton’s three sons – Lyman, Emerson, and Wilbur – are working in the lumber yard at Ashland.
1934
Mead Lumber expands to Columbus, NE through the acquisition of Kaufman Lumber.
1937
Acquisition of O. L. Clark & Sons enables expansion into York, NE. Emerson becomes manager.
1945
Expansion continues into Fort Morgan, CO, with Emerson Mead relocating to lead operations there.
1947
Opening of a new location in Cheyenne, WY via purchase of Mawson-Peterson Lumber. Wilbur Mead becomes manager.
1954
Dierks Lumber & Coal purchase leads to a Broken Bow, NE branch.
1958
Mead Lumber acquires Kildare Lumber, launching operations in Lexington and Cozad, NE.
1959
Expansion into Sterling, CO by acquiring Platte Valley Lumber.
1964
Bob Mead joins the company, establishing a pre-hung door shop and roof truss operations in Cheyenne, WY.
1965
Mead constructs a new location in Beatrice, NE.
1972
Expansion into Nebraska City, NE via acquisition of Hoppe Lumber.
1973
Acquisition of S&S Lumber brings operations to Norfolk, NE.
1980
Mead Lumber moves to a new Lexington, NE location via the acquisition of Big Valley Lumber.
1982
Mead opens a new location in Pratt, KS.
1985
Expansion into Liberal and Dodge City, KS by acquiring lumber yards from Boise Cascade.
1987
Upon the passing of Lyman Mead, Bob Mead becomes President of Mead Lumber.
1991
Mead Lumber acquires Hoppe Lumber again, expanding to Grand Island, NE.
1995
Acquisition of Collins Lumber leads to expansion into Ada, OK.
1997
Mead adds Kansas Lumber, expanding into Manhattan, KS.
1998
Mead Lumber builds and expands rental center operations in York, Pratt, Sterling, Beatrice, Liberal, Lexington, Norfolk, and Ada.
2000
Mead Lumber purchases Knecht Home Centers and Newkirk Ace Hardware stores in Rapid City and Spearfish, SD, and Gillette, WY; an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is established.
2006
Mead opens a Knecht Home Center / Ace Hardware site in Sheridan, WY. Craig Bradshaw becomes President upon Bob Mead’s retirement.
2007
Expansion into Montana via the acquisition of Thomae Lumber in Billings and Laurel.
2008
Mead Lumber acquires Cash and Carry Lumber, moving operations in Broken Bow, NE.
2009
Mead Lumber builds a new location in Kearney, NE.
2011
Mead Lumber expands into Yankton and Winner, SD (Fullerton Lumber) and into Cañon City, CO (Sonny’s Ace Hardware).
2012
Mead Lumber acquires Dakota Craft Truss in Cheyenne, WY and launches Truss Craft Structural Components; also opens Great Plains Countertops in Grand Island, NE.
2013
Mead Lumber opens Truss Craft Nebraska in Grand Island, NE.
2014
Mead Lumber becomes 100% Employee Owned.
2016
Expansion into Red Lodge, MT (Rock Creek Lumber) and Salina, KS (ProBuild facility).
2017
Further expansion into North Platte, Ogallala, and McCook, NE (via acquiring Kildare Lumber); new Truss Craft facility in Billings, MT.
2018
Acquisition of H.L. Munn Lumber expands Mead into Ames, IA; new store built in Spearfish, SD.
2019
Mead Lumber named “Pro Dealer of the Year” by HBS Dealer; the Spearfish store wins ProSales Excellence Award for facility design.
2020
Mead expands into Lincoln, NE; Dave Anderson becomes President upon Craig Bradshaw’s retirement.
2021
Expansion into Stockton, Hays & Russell, KS (Heartland Building Center acquisition); launch of Truss Craft Kansas in Hays; opening of Great Plains Distribution in Grand Island, NE.
2022
Expansion into Butte, MT (Triple “S” Building Center acquisition) and Kansas City, MO (Teague Lumber acquisition); new store built in Cheyenne, WY.
2023
Mead Lumber expands into Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with the acquisition of Component Manufacturing Company (CMC) and Reaves Buildings, strengthening its position in structural components and post-frame building solutions across the region.
2025
Mead Lumber celebrates 25 years as a 100% employee-owned company, marking a quarter-century of employee ownership and shared success since establishing its ESOP in 2000.
2025
Knecht Home Centers were renamed as Mead Lumber. Signage and other branding was replaced in October at Gillette and Sheridan, Wyoming, and Spearfish and Rapid City in South Dakota.