Anawalt Lumber History

The Anawalt Family has been around lumber for long time. Valentine Anawalt came to America in 1761 from Holland and settled down outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he purchased 120 acres of farm and timberland. His son John, his grandson Samuel, and his great-grandson Elias were all carpenters by trade. Elias caught the “western fever” and moved to Rock Island, Illinois, where he partnered with the Weyerhaeuser and Denkmann families in logging and lumber manufacturing. Eventually, he moved to Wichita, Kansas and became the general manager of the Rock Island Lumber Company’s string of retail lumberyards. Elias’ son Harmon Fred, known as “HF” was in the retail lumber business in Lyons, Kansas – but because of his wife’s failing health decided to move with his family to the fresh air of Southern California in 1920. In 1921, he opened the original Anawalt Lumber in Montrose.

Three more generations of the Anawalt family have been at the helm of Anawalt Lumber in Montrose – HF’s son Bernard, his grandson Buz, and now his great grandson Bill Anawalt is the current owner.

For 92 years, Anawalt Lumber has been serving homeowners and builders in the Montrose, Glendale, La Canada, and Pasadena areas of Southern California.

We are one of the area’s oldest family-owned, independent businesses.