Patten-Blinn Lumber Company . . . o $ince 1880

Almost everyone in Southern California is familiar with this heading and most everyone agrees that the men anci women who operate Patten-Blinn are easy to deal with, there is a surety about them that is based upon experience. Thesc folks have worked together so long their experience acts cumulatively, and the resources of Patten-Blinn's 24 yards and eight hundred employes are quickly concentrated on customer needs.

Only time can weld together a group in this effective manner, and it is necessary to see the service records of PattenBlinn to understand this group characteristic.

The company president, E. C. Parker, was loading wagons at the Wilmington yard in the spring of 1914, thirty-five years ago. George Patten, vice president, was born in the business and is the founder's grandson and namesake. Vern Sutlifr, treasurer, started in the yard at Seventh and Reo in 1918. l-eslie G. Lynch, director of sales, was a yardman in the Blinrr vard at 1650 So. Alameda Street in 1916;the yard fronted on Alameda and directly in back of thern was a young and struggling company, Blue Diamond Corporation, who now occupy 23 acres at this address. Pete Baumgartner, J. K. Lawler, D. D. Sutherin, llarry Owen, C. W. Ward, Marion Welch, Archie Price and L. H. Scott are all in office management circles and after each name should be, "began in the yard." The average years of each in Patten-Blinn service totals thirtyseven and a half. Dean of them all is Archie Pric'e, member of the sales force for fifty-four years.

Company history goes back to 1880 when L. W. Blinn opened a lumber yard in Tombstone, Arizona for C. A. Hooper of San Francisco. Patten & Davies Lumber Company opened a yard in Pasadena in lB94 and both companies entered the Los Angeles market in the nineties about a block apart near Second and Central Avenue. Not until 1931 did the companies merge their total of thirty five yards under the management of founder George Patten's sons, Henry S. and F. \ I. Patter-i.

Directing management today is composed of personnel from both companies.

The main office at Fifth and San Pedro Street is downtown Los Angeles' only lumber yard and this location has been a lumber yard since 1883. Patten-Blinn's yards are supported by tlvo company owned sawmills in Oregon, an up-to-the-minute water front distributing plant at Wilmington, California, and one of the coast's largest and best equipped sash, door and millwork plants located in the Vernon district.

Although the very essence of Patten-Blinn is lumber and they are constantly strengthening their position in this field, they have not overlooked opportunities in allied lines and

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