Aberdeen’s Industrial Pivot
A report on the town's shifting economic tides as new mills take root on the south side.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Aberdeen is fortunate today in having work for all who want to work. Those who imagined they could live without working have been compelled to try the experiment elsewhere. Today Aberdeen is doing what for so long she has been talking about doing: putting in substantial industries for the employment of labor. Naturally, these industries are being established on the south side, where both rail and water shipments to markets are to be had. Today in course of construction on the south side are a sawmill and shingle mill, and a contract has been signed for the purchase of the machinery for Ray Sherwood's shingle mill. On the north side there seems to be no doubt but that Mr. Tanner will soon be operating or building a mill of his own.
“Today Aberdeen is doing what for so long she has been talking about doing, putting in substantial industries for the employment of labor.”
In 1892, Aberdeen’s 'south side' was the frontier of industrial development, capitalizing on proximity to rail and water. Today, the city’s economic focus continues to grapple with the legacy of these timber-dependent roots while seeking new ways to utilize that same waterfront geography.
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