Grable had bought several hundred acres in the area of Date, Lemon and Acacia Avenues, and together with Charles C. Park divided the property into 1,000 lots. Supplied by La Mesa Lumber Co., the new homes were built with concrete block foundations, redwood framing, double-hung windows with thin glass, and attics with no insulation. The rapid increase in population caused by this development led to incorporation of the city of La Mesa in 1912. In 1945, Fletcher M. Olson sold his lumber company in Minnesota and with his wife Mary moved to La Mesa in search of a milder climate and new opportunities in the lumber business. Olson formed a partnership with D. Frank Park and Robert Reid, bought the Park Lumber and Investments Co., and formed Park-Olson Lumber Co. In 1948 Park-Olson Lumber Co. purchased La Mesa Lumber and Mill Co., and the business carried on under the name of the La Mesa Lumber Co. Olson’s two sons, Don and Ray, joined him at La Mesa Lumber when they returned home from the service at the end of World War II. Don and Ray started as yardmen and lumber-handlers and eventually took over management of the company. is still owned and operated by the Olson family. The management team is formed by Don’s son, Mark Olson, and son-in-law, Kim Wood, and by Ray’s daughter, Carol Baxter, and son-in-law, Chris Gauger. We are now a full service lumber, hardware, and building materials dealer situated on four acres in downtown La Mesa. We are dedicated to carrying on the company’s traditions of honesty and integrity, excellent customer service, quality products, and commitment to the local community. Come in and find out why we are still here after more than 100 years.
