John and Wilbur Hahn, both in their 80s, operate a family-owned sawmill in Dutch Hollow, Hardy County, according to an article in the summer issue of GOLDENSEAL magazine, now on sale. The article, titled "Ties that Bind: The Hahn Brothers of Hardy County," is written by Catherine Moore and describes the two brothers, their German heritage, and their determination to continue the work they have done since childhood.
The Hahn brothers began working in the timber industry in 1939 and still work at an old-fashioned sawmill they built in the 1960s, despite the changes brought to the industry by modern technology. In the article, the Hahns discuss the risks and dangers inherent in their occupation and reflect on the changes they have witnessed, changes both in the timber business and in the natural environment.
Through it all, the brothers have remained part of a close-knit family, still enjoying Sunday dinners with relatives at the Hahn farmhouse, located near the site of the sawmill. Although the brothers now live in Wardensville, they continue to go to Dutch Hollow almost daily to cut timber and operate the mill. They feel the work helps keep them active and healthy, according to the article.
Also in this issue of GOLDENSEAL are articles about the Randolph County New Deal settlement communities known as the Tygart Valley Homestead; 90-year-old Ivan Gorby and the weekly "Bowman Ridge Opry;" the late Rube Stump, a maker of fine porch swings in Calhoun County; and the checkered history of McDowell County's infamous Jones Mansion. GOLDENSEAL is West Virginia's magazine of traditional life and is published quarterly by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History in Charleston. The magazine sells for $4.95 and is available at Hall's Shop & Save in Moorefield or by calling (304)558-0220, ext. 153.
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Ginny Painter
Director of Public Information
West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Boulevard, East
Charleston, WV 25305-0300
Phone (304) 558-0220
Fax (304) 558-2779
[email protected]