Abandoned Relic in the Forest: Aldridge Sawmill

Abandoned Relic in the Forest: Aldridge Sawmill
Some people say that the outdoors are boring. That everything out there has already been found, explored, and discovered. That hidden treasures are the stuff of fairy tails. Well, I’m here to prove them all wrong. Welcome to Xplore RC.

Today, we’re diving deep into the woods of east Texas to find and explore a hidden gem from the early 20th century: the abandoned Aldridge Sawmill. But this isn’t just a building. These are the remains of what used to be an entire town.

Deep inside the Angelina National Forest, sitting not too far from the Neches River, you'll find four massive structures under the thick forest canopy. These are part of the few ruins that still remain of the sawmill town of Aldridge, a now overgrown ghost town, lost deep in the dense forest vegetation.

In operation from 1905 to 1923, the Aldridge Sawmill was once the pride of the town of Aldridge; it’s very reason for existing. At one point in time, this sawmill churned out 125,000 board feet of lumber a day. With this type of output, it proved to be one of the largest lumber producers in the state of Texas.

Founded by Hal Aldridge in 1903, the Aldridge sawmill was complete and fully operational by 1905. Two years later, the Burr’s Ferry, Browndel & Chester Railway, -or BFB&C- railroad had tracks reaching the mill site, and production was in full swing.

By 1906, the town of Aldridge had a large commissary, a depot, a hotel, a dispensary, 2 churches, 2 schools, and 200 tenant houses.

However, just a few years later, tragedy struck Aldridge.

On August 25, 1911, the entire Aldridge Sawmill plant burned down. Arson was strongly suspected, and many attributed it to a disgruntled labor organizer. At that moment, 30 neighboring sawmills were on strike, and strikers were often accused of driving railroad spikes into logs to destroy the band-saws.
By the following year, the mill was rebuilt with several new safeguards, including concrete buildings reinforced with iron beams - the first of its kind in East Texas. They were furnished with state-of-the-art machinery that included a steam-powered engine.

However, despite all of these extra precautions, the entire mill burned down again just a year later, and Hal Aldridge gave up and moved to El Paso. Many of the town’s residents gave up as well and moved away, seeking to rebuild their lives elsewhere. In the process, many workers took with them everything that they could possibly salvage. It’s even been reported that one corner of a concrete hulk at the sawmill had to be blasted out in order to remove an old steam engine. By 1925, the railroad tracks had been torn up, and the entire site was abandoned for all time.

Today, the Aldridge Sawmill and Township have sat dormant for decades. The remains include the four massive concrete structures that held the boiler room, engine room, fuel room, and the drying kiln, as well as various concrete foundations, the mill pond, and portions of the old railroad tram. There’s no sign of the residential structures, school, churches, commissary or the hotel. Thus, other than the few remaining ruins of the mill, only memories, echoes, and whispers of the past remain here, as the site finally enjoys the silence, peace, and tranquility that it never managed to find during its troubled days in operation.
Thanks for joining me for this adventure. If you enjoyed it, please don’t forget to like and subscribe, as well as clicking on the notification bell so you don’t miss any future content. I’ll see you on the next one!
Music: Summum Bonum

Artist: Civilization: Call to Power II OST

Sources:

https://www.ktre.com/story/29069394/east-texas-throwback-ruins-of-aldridge-sawmill-town-hidden-away-in-angelina-national-forest/

https://texasforesttrail.com/plan-your-adventure/historic-sites-and-cities/sites/aldridge-sawmill-historic-site-angelina-national

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/texas/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5291444

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/aldridge-sawmill-township

https://texasbeyondhistory.net/aldridge/legacy.html

https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/tx/aldridge.html

Видео Abandoned Relic in the Forest: Aldridge Sawmill канала Beyond Civilization (Xplore RC)