Our History
West Lumber & Coal Company enjoyed its first day of business on May 31, 1930 in Osmond, NE. Founders Loyd and Theo West purchased the business from Mr. & Mrs. Homer Towne. In 1964 the West’s purchased the assets of Farmers Lumber Company, also in Osmond, and moved the operation to that location, at the corner of Highway 20 and State St. where it remains today.
Loyd and Theo first operated the lumberyard without full-time help. The business has grown over the years and now has locations in six communities in N.E. Nebraska with 28 full time associates, each with an average of over 12 years of experience in the building material business. We now have full service lumber yards in Osmond, Creighton and Crofton Nebraska.
The nature of the business has changed quite a bit during the past 80 plus years. During the 30’s and 40’s Coal was a significant part of the business with 60 or more rail cars sold in a single season. It was ALL unloaded into the coal bins by hand and then loaded out for the customers by hand. Even lumber and other building materials were ALL unloaded and then loaded out by hand—not a forklift in sight! Quality lumber and building materials remain the “bread and butter” of the business but with the addition of Ready Mixed concrete in the early 60’s the firm began offering a complete building material package from foundations to roofs. The first concrete plant was located in Creighton and over the years we have added plants in Plainview, Niobrara, Crofton and Norfolk. Our plants are Nebraska Dept. of Roads Certified and we were one of the first companies in our area to attain certification by the National Ready Mix Concrete Association for our plants.
Company roots go deep into Nebraska soil beginning with our founders Loyd and Theo West and later Loyd L. and Mary Lou West and now Kelly and Luella Hodson along with their son Rich Hodson. Rich had a great, great grandfather on his mother’s and a great grandfather on his father’s side who were active in the lumber business in the early 1900’s and thus he can boast being the fifth generation in the business.
Our family and our company take a great deal of pride in having been an important part of the growth of the fine families and communities we serve. We pledge that we will provide your project the same personal, professional care and quality products that has helped us remain competitive for over 80 years.