The Story
In 1983, the Timlin Lumber Company closed down. Timlin had a railroad team track and a gravel
road that ran directly behind the buildings on Marshall Court. This is where they unloaded lumber that came in by rail.
This road was always quite a muddy mess.
road that ran directly behind the buildings on Marshall Court. This is where they unloaded lumber that came in by rail.
This road was always quite a muddy mess.
In order to make it usable for parking, the area between the railroad tracks and the buildings would need to be graded, graveled and paved. Once the paving was completed, the next hurdle we had to face was that
the railroad required a barrier between our property and the tracks at a minimum distance of 25 feet from the middle
of the tracks. We could have put a fence in there of some sort, which would not have been very aesthetic and
would not have hidden the cars, so I decided to put something green in there instead.
After inquiring from nurseries all over southern Wisconsin, I finally discovered that the Christmas Tree Co.
in Eau Claire had enough arbor vitae trees to cover the length of our parking lot.
I had the 211 trees delivered to Madison in two large semi trucks. Each tree was only 1 foot tall and cost $8.50.
the railroad required a barrier between our property and the tracks at a minimum distance of 25 feet from the middle
of the tracks. We could have put a fence in there of some sort, which would not have been very aesthetic and
would not have hidden the cars, so I decided to put something green in there instead.
After inquiring from nurseries all over southern Wisconsin, I finally discovered that the Christmas Tree Co.
in Eau Claire had enough arbor vitae trees to cover the length of our parking lot.
I had the 211 trees delivered to Madison in two large semi trucks. Each tree was only 1 foot tall and cost $8.50.
When the trees arrived, my brother Marvin and I and my two nephews, Stan and Steve Lauridsen,
along with Carter Todd used a gas-powered digger with four handles on it.
We dug holes through rocks, wood, cinders and small amounts of dirt and proceeded to plant the trees about 4 feet apart.
I had questions as to whether or not they would grow, so we watered them profusely during that summer of 1984.
Lo and behold, they all grew.
Then we babied them along until they reached a height of 5 feet in 1993.
along with Carter Todd used a gas-powered digger with four handles on it.
We dug holes through rocks, wood, cinders and small amounts of dirt and proceeded to plant the trees about 4 feet apart.
I had questions as to whether or not they would grow, so we watered them profusely during that summer of 1984.
Lo and behold, they all grew.
Then we babied them along until they reached a height of 5 feet in 1993.