Muir & McDonald Tannery

We recently began our latest deconstruction project. It is the Muir & McDonald Tannery in Dallas, Oregon. Muir & McDonald began operating in 1863. After being destroyed by fire, the building was rebuilt around 1902. Until closing for business about a year ago, Muir & McDonald held several superlatives. It was the oldest tannery west of the Mississippi, it was the oldest business in Polk county, and it was the oldest tannery in the country using the slow vegetable tanning process. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Upon deciding to sell the property, the owners contacted us to save the building from the landfill and give it new life. The property has five buildings. There are three pole barns, a scale house and the main building. The pole barns are sided with beautiful 12 inch barn-style siding. The main building is a three story, 40,000 square foot facility. It is full of thousands of feet of beautiful tongue and groove flooring, lapped siding, and large beams. Most of the wood has absorbed a hundred years worth of tanning oils and residues that should infuse it with some beautiful patina. This project should definitely yield some truly beautiful and unique old wood.