4000 B.C. (est.) The Meadowlark songbird was designed and created along with the rest of creation. He began singing and is still praising his Creator today.
Early 1700's: The Amish began migrating from Europe to America seeking freedom from religious persecution.
1750- 1800's: The Amish built hundreds of large timber frame barns to store their crops and shelter livestock. Most of them still stand today and are still in use.
1850-1940: The Amish continued to spread out in many parts of the United States , also settling in Canada .
1934: Our parents, Ora and Orpha were born in the large Amish community in LaGrange County , Indiana . Dad was in a family of 13 and Mom the oldest of 14.
1946: Ora Miller, age 12, began riding the ridge beam at the Amish barn raisings. This was an extremely scary and dangerous but necessary operation as dozens of big, bearded men pulled up the end wall of the barn. Someone had to ride it and he volunteered. This is one example of his courage and willingness to take risks.
1955: Ora was well on his way to becoming a master craftsman. In Indiana , he built many structures at a young age, including pole buildings, barns, shops, and homes. At the same time he was a chicken, hog and dairy farmer as well as a craftsman.
July, 1974: Vernon , 8 year old son of Ora and Orpha Miller, fell off a farm wagon and died of head injuries. This tragedy had a major impact on the lives of our parents. It was influential in their spiritual lives and their walk with the Lord.
1975: Ora, age 41, moved his family of seven to Montana along with three other families to pioneer a brand new start in the West.
1976: Ora set up a sawmill and produced railroad ties for the railroad.
1976: Ervin and Lloyd Miller, 14 and 16, built our first log cabin from scratch.
1977: Tragedy struck again when the entire sawmill burned down. Since we had no insurance, the loss was quite overwhelming. Ora and the boys then worked at another mill and a ranch, and built several log cabins for other folks.
1977: Elvie, age 8, on his way home from fishing at the creek, got growled at by a black bear that was standing on his hind legs only yards away. The bear didn't eat me, which I am thankful for.
1978: The flat on flat, handpeeled, butt and pass corner was developed. This was, and still is, a different, unique approach to log home construction. The flat surfaces of the logs are pinned, screwed, and glued together, forming a very strong and stable wall.
1980: We purchased our own sawmill again and began full time construction of log homes. We have never stopped building log homes since then.
1980: Dick and Silver skidded logs in the forest and also were used in the mill yard to move logs around.
1981: Ora and the boys began building handmade interior and exterior doors for all the log homes we sold. We built doors up until 1993.
1984: We built the Glacier log home using block and tackle, with a tractor to pull beams up to the roof. No crane was used in its construction, which is hard to imagine today.
1987: We purchased our first Wood Mizer band sawmill. It was superior to the old circular sawmill and a whole lot safer.
1988: We built a band sawmill from scratch thinking we can do it better than Wood Mizer. The sawmill worked, but we never attempted to build our own again!
1990: Cousin Harley Miller, age 18, became our dealer in Wisconsin and over the years has built an estimated 80 of our log homes. His reputation is well earned after years of really hard work and top quality craftsmanship.
1990: Ora built quite a number of handmade kitchen chairs, cedar chests, and other fine pieces of furniture. Not only was he an excellent log home builder, but he was also highly skilled in other kinds of woodworking.
1995: We shipped two log home kits to Japan . They were both similar to the Wilderness Hideaway.
2000: We shipped two Retreat model log cabins to South Africa . They were built at a mission in the Transkei Homeland, Willowvale, at the first Bible college for the Xhosa people in their language. They are used as residences for the Native Bible teachers at the school.
2001: We purchased our number four Wood Mizer: Our first electric bandsawmill!
2002: Neil Blake and Ed Spangler became our dealers in North Carolina .
2002: The Meadowlark Butterfly Saddle Notch was developed as an optional corner notch.
May, 2003: The greater Christian church in Switzerland brought a group of Amish and Mennonites to Switzerland and repented for the persecution the Swiss church brought against them beginning in 1525. Some of us were privileged to go along. What had divided us 400 years ago has been brought together in Christ. The Swiss church is now our friends, brothers and sisters in Christ forever.
2003: We purchased our first computers! This was a scary thing for Amish folks to do but it has been well worth it.
2003: The first Meadowlark Log Home was erected in West Meadows village near Moravian Falls , North Carolina . It is now home to numerous Meadowlark Log Homes. The village is home to the new church building for the local Morning Star church.
2004: Our Amish community began owning and operating our very own automobiles. This was a huge thing to overcome after several thousand years of driving horses and donkeys!
2004: Meadowlark Log Homes became a member of NFIB- National Federation Of Independent Businesses.
2005: Meadowlark Log Homes became a member of the following organizations:
- Libby , Montana Chamber Of Commerce
- Flathead County Builder's Association
- National Association Of Home Builders
- The Log Homes Council
2005: Meadowlark Log Homes joined the Log Homes Council log grading program. Every single log in every Meadowlark Log Home is inspected, structurally graded and grade stamped. After it has passed critical structural log grading standards, it is approved for use in the log home. A random, third party inspection is done at our plant several times a year to insure that all grading is performed to required standards. The LHC grade stamped log home is structurally approved for virtually any country in the world.
A certificate of grading inspection and approval is provided to the customer for their new Meadowlark Log Home.
2005: We opened our new Meadowlark model log home and office. Our community and log home office is located across from the Libby, Montana airport.
2005: The Holy Spirit is doing a great work in the Amish People! www.lightofhopeministries.com
2005: Meadowlark Log Homes began production under the roof of the big steel building using overhead, remotely operated, electric cranes. This greatly increases our efficiency, safety, and production.
2006: Meadowlark became a member by invitation to the Better Business Bureau.
September, 2006: The Amish schoolhouse shooting in Pennsylvania of six Amish schoolgirls sent a shock through the Amish communities, and all over the world. We pray that the message of forgiveness would fill the hearts of all who heard of the tragedy. And we pray healing for the survivors and their families.
2006: We produced our first company DVD, The Meadowlark Story.
2007: Meadowlark produced the Meadowlark e- newsletter which will be printed and available online at random times.
2007: We continue to expand our builder/ dealer network. We at Meadowlark Log Homes are absolutely committed to supporting our hard working craftsman, builders, sales people, and dealers.
2007: We believe our customers are number one, and we strive to provide the very best customer service possible.
2007: The Western Meadowlark is abundant in the meadows surrounding Meadowlark Log Homes. They are happy, singing and praising their Creator. When you come for a visit, listen for the melody of the meadowlark welcoming you to his land. Their warble is one of the most beautiful songs you can imagine. |
