The Garyville Timbermill Museum

Preserving a Community’s Heritage

The Historic Lyon Lumber Company Headquarters

The Garyville Timbermill Museum is located in the former headquarters of the Lyon Cypress Lumber Company, established in 1903. Once the administrative center of one of Southeast Louisiana’s largest lumber operations, the building is among the few surviving structures directly associated with the industry that created the community of Garyville.

At its peak, the lumber company employed hundreds of workers and supported a thriving community of homes, businesses, schools, and public facilities. The company played a central role in Garyville’s development until its operations ceased in 1931. Although the lumber mill eventually disappeared, the headquarters building survived, retaining many of its distinctive architectural features and serving as a tangible connection to Garyville’s industrial past.

Establishment of the Garyville Timbermill Museum — 1989

The Garyville Timbermill Museum was established on July 21, 1989, as a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the former Lyon Lumber Company headquarters and documenting the history and culture of Garyville.

The museum’s mission was to protect an important part of the community’s heritage while collecting and preserving historical photographs, documents, artifacts, tools, and equipment associated with the lumber industry and the families who helped build Garyville.

The historic headquarters building provided a natural setting for interpreting this history. Its original architectural features and association with the lumber company offered visitors a direct connection to the community’s early development.

State Museum Involvement and Preservation Efforts

In 1999, responsibility for the museum building was assumed by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Museum Division. State involvement offered an opportunity to preserve the historic structure and develop its educational potential.

However, the building continued to face significant maintenance and restoration challenges. Funding limitations and the increasing costs of historic preservation delayed plans for rehabilitation and reopening. During the 2010s, responsibility for the property returned to the local museum organization, renewing community-led efforts to protect the building and restore its use as a museum.

Community Support and Fundraising

Local residents, museum supporters, and preservation advocates continued working to safeguard the historic building and its collection. These efforts included fundraising activities, community events, and public awareness campaigns designed to raise money for restoration and keep Garyville’s history in the public eye.

Among the best-known initiatives was the Garyville Sings and Strings Festival, which brought musicians, residents, and visitors together throughout the historic district to support the museum. Community music gatherings and other local activities helped maintain public interest in the museum during years when the building could not operate as a regular visitor attraction.

These efforts demonstrated the community’s commitment to preserving not only an important historic structure but also the stories, traditions, and cultural identity associated with Garyville.

Preserving the Museum’s Collections

Beyond the building itself, the museum has worked to preserve a collection of historical materials documenting Garyville’s industrial and community heritage. These materials include photographs, archival documents, original office furnishings and equipment, logging tools, and other artifacts associated with the lumber company’s operations.

Together, the building and its collections provide an opportunity to interpret the lives of the workers, families, and businesses that shaped Garyville during the early twentieth century.

A New Chapter in Preservation

After decades of preservation efforts, the Garyville Timbermill Museum began exploring opportunities to restore the historic headquarters building and develop a more sustainable future for the property.

On November 3, 2021, the museum and the Louisiana Steam Train Association entered into a letter of intent to explore a partnership that would advance their shared historic preservation and educational goals. With support from the River Parishes Tourist Commission, the organizations formally established the Louisiana Steam Train Association/Garyville Timbermill Museum Joint Venture on May 27, 2022. The partnership created a new opportunity to combine historic building restoration, museum development, and railroad preservation into a coordinated heritage destination.

Today, the Garyville Timbermill Museum continues the mission established in 1989: preserving the history of Garyville, protecting its historic landmarks, and sharing the stories of the people and industries that shaped the community. The ongoing restoration of the former lumber company headquarters represents the continuation of more than three decades of dedication by local residents, volunteers, and preservation supporters.

The museum’s future builds upon the work of those who recognized the importance of preserving Garyville’s history long before the current redevelopment project began.