Enjoy This Unique Log Home
Furniture
From Old Hickory
For 100 years, our methods have basically remained the same.
The rewards to the buyer have continued, through generation after generation, to those who
purchase and appreciate the products of Old Hickory.
Old Hickory's beginnings predate accurate newspaper records,
but can be traced back to a craftsman named Billy Richardson. In the 1880's, Richardson
built hoop chairs, settees and tables from the hickory wood that flourished in the
limestone-rich soils of Indiana. On weekends, he sold his furniture on the town square in
the nearby county seat of Martinsville.
But even Billy Richardson was building on earlier traditions.
The earliest pioneers who crossed the Great Smokies discovered that hickory was
well-suited for building furniture that would endure for generations. A few years back,
the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture described hickory wood as "exceptionally tough, heavy
and strong," confirming the experienced wisdom of our early pioneers.
Out of this legacy, Old Hickory was born. It grew because
people found comfort and quality in its natural forms and sturdy construction. People in
Chicago and New York were attracted to Old Hickory furniture by displays in merchandise
marts and department stores as early as 1920. From the early 1900's. many of our national
parks featured Old Hickory furnishings, including the Old Faithful Inn at Yellowstone,
where the dining chairs from the 1906 opening are still in use today!.
One of our favorite photos from that era presents Greta Garbo
sitting very nervously on an Old Hickory chair next to an uncaged lion.
In today's world, many things change. Making Old Hickory
furniture is not one of them. Each winter, the self-regenerating hickory trees are
harvested and the wood is shipped to us here in Shelbyville. After curing in our own kiln,
the wood is crafted into the casually elegant furniture that is our hallmark, and shipped
throughout the world. |
