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 in population at around 3,000. The company played a crucial role in supplying lumber during the westward expansion of the United States. Although Grandin was abandoned by 1910 due to resource depletion, many of its historic buildings remain, recognized for their contribution to Missouri's economic and technological history. Today, visitors can explore the remnants of this once-thriving town, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, offering a glimpse into the industrial past of the Ozarks.