Missouri Lumber and Mining Company

The Missouri Lumber and Mining Company (MLM) was a significant timber corporation established in the late 19th century in southeast Missouri, primarily to exploit the region's abundant timber resources. Founded by Pennsylvania lumbermen, MLM built the largest lumber mill in the U.S. in the company town of Grandin, which peaked at a population of 3,000. The company played a crucial role in supplying lumber during the westward expansion of the United States. Although it abandoned Grandin around 1910 due to resource depletion, many of its historic buildings remain, recognized for their technological and economic significance, making it an interesting site for tourists and researchers alike.