The Beginning
Hauling Logs With Oxen
Lucius Olen "L.O." Crosby, Sr. (1869-1948) left the family cotton farm with a 3rd grade education at age 19 to work hauling logs behind oxen.
L.O. would go on to establish Goodyear Yellow Pine Company with his partner Lamont Rowlands. It would be one of the largest lumber operations in the south by the 1920's.
L.O. Crosby Sr. - 1888
Early Growth
From Logs to Stumps
Goodyear Yellow Pine Company tried without success to interest someone in the Wood Naval Stores business to build a plant in Picayune, Mississippi to process stumps. Pine stumps were plentiful from the timber operations used to supply the Crosby owned sawmills.
Unable to attract a company to build a plant in Picayune, the family decided to undertake the project themselves.
After almost 40 years of owning and operating sawmills and related businesses, L.O. Crosby and his three sons, Robert “Howell” Crosby Sr., Hollis Crosby and L.O. Crosby Jr., Robert Sr., took the family into the Naval Store business. The plan was to develop a new manufacturing business that would not only bring significant economic rewards, but also begin the process of regenerating thousands of acres of company owned timberland.
Construction of the plant in Picayune, MS began in the spring of 1937 and operations began in November 1937.
Ninety barrels of rosin were produced the first day. As the quality of the products being produced by Crosby became recognized, expansion of the Picayune plant had grown to 600 tons per day. By then it was one of the three largest producers of naval stores products in the United States.
1937 - The first naval stores plant in Picayune MS.
L.O.'s five children, who would eventually inherit and manage the business.
1917 - Goodyear Yellow Pine Locomotive
Expansion Post-War
Growth and Diversification After World War II
Due to its location in the middle of thousands of acres of "virgin" stump land, on three railroads, and within 50 miles of a deep water port, DeRidder, Louisiana, was selected as the location for a second plant. The land was considered poor and without much value and the purchase price reflected that fact. The resources that lay in these lands, predominantly longleaf pine stumps.
Robert H. Crosby Jr. joined the business full time after serving in WWII and headed to DeRidder for construction of LA plant. Soon after Robert H. Crosby Jr.’s two brothers, Richard (Dick) Crosby and Tom Crosby joined the company and ran the sales and plant operations.
Thus, by 1947, from a small beginning 10 years earlier of a facility with a 250 ton daily capacity, Crosby Naval Stores grew into a successful organization, encompassing 2 plant facilities, capable of processing 1,600 tons of stumps daily. Crosby Naval Stores employed between 500 and 600 people in plant operations and from 1,000 to 1,200 in stump operations.
1945 - DeRidder Plant
1946 - Old Crosby Tank Car
1946 - Crosby Chemical Bottle
As America rebuilt after World War II, Crosby Resource Management expanded its operations, seizing the opportunity to grow. The post-war boom laid the groundwork for our future success, transforming the company into a leader in sustainable land management.
Family Legacy Continues
Ownership Consolidation and Product Evolution
- By 1948, the company accumulated approximately 150,000 acres in Louisiana.
- R.H. Crosby, Sr. and his family gained complete ownership of Crosby Chemicals, Inc. from his extended family.
- The stumps on the family-owned property were running out and the plants were converted to Tall Oil Plants which allowed the company to continue to produce new versions of the same products.
- Tall oil resins are used as a component of adhesives, rubber, and inks. Crosby purchased tall oil from paper mills and sold refined products to companies such as 3M.
1955 - Robert Crosby Sr
Bobby Scalfi standing in front of large stump pile
Mineral Rich Lands
Expanding Beyond Timber
- Crosby Chemicals changed its name to Crosby Land & Resources, a Mississippi partnership.
- The Company saw unprecedented development of its minerals from 1995-2001 due primarily to the oil and gas exploration of the Austin Chalk geological formation.
Crosby partners with oil and gas developers to lease land for responsible exploration and extraction.
Back to our "Roots"
Taking on a direct roll in the management of our timberland
The Company formed Crosby Resource Management, L.L.C., a full service forest management company, headquartered in Sugartown, Louisiana
CRM's primary roll was to manage the timberland as it was incrementally released by a commercial timber management group, which had operated under a long term lease for many years.
The creation of Crosby Resource Management marks a milestone in the company’s evolution.
CRM begins overseeing the harvest and delivery of logs on their lands.
Entering the new millennium, Crosby Resource Management embraced diversification, venturing beyond timber into real estate, hunting leases, and conservation. This pivotal shift ensured that our land would continue to thrive, providing value for both today and future generations.
Going Out on Our Own
Taking Total Responsiblity For the Land
- After the long-term timber lease was terminated, sole responsibility of harvesting and delivery of wood became CRM’s.
- The land being unencumbered has allowed CRM to explore new opportunites such as solar and carbon injection, while at the same time, experimenting with new technological advancements in silviculture.
- CRM headquarters were relocated to DeRidder, La.
