GNH History

Our Dedication

For over 100 years, GNH Lumber has been a vital part of the community. Helping to build your dreams, expand your homes with your growing families, and reinvent your living spaces as your needs change...

Through the years GNH has never lost sight of its original philosophy of customer service. The company's mission is to provide "exceptional customer service" and quality products to its customers at a fair price. This dedication to service is what sets GNH Lumber, Inc. apart from the rest - making customer service its first priority. GNH strives to stay on the cutting edge of technology with the newest equipment and a knowledgeable staff. They continue to provide quality products at the competitive prices, which their customers have grown to expect.

Prior to 1937

Trum Ingalls and his sons traveled to woodlot sites, set up temporary sawmills and living quarters to log trees before they established a standing sawmill.

Local historian Don Teator discovered in the diaries of Carrie Spalding Ingalls, that her husband Truman Ingalls was becoming less involved with the mill. (He was in his 70s at the time.) He had an offer to buy the business in February 1932, but decided not to sell – even after having 1,000 feet of lumber stolen from him the following month. Truman received additional offers in August 1934 and November 1934 but decided not to sell.

1937: The Beginning of GNH Lumber Inc.

In January of 1937, Stanley L. Ingalls and James M. Freeman started the Greenville Norton Hill Lumber, Co. They had formed a partnership for the purpose of dealing in lumber, building materials and coal. Ingalls and Freeman stayed in business together for three years before the partnership was dissolved and Ingalls became the sole owner of the lumber company.
In 1940, a sawmill was erected to manufacture lumber from local lots. The first office of the company was in the kitchen of the Ingalls home in Norton Hill. The store in Norton Hill was built in 1953. In 1960, GNH started to manufacture pre-fabricated truss rafters and in 1976 also began manufacturing panelized homes.

1965: GNH's Windham Location Opens

GNH opened its second location in 1965 when a new yard was purchased from Welsh & Gray in Windham, NY. In September of 1987 Windham opened a new improved showroom when the original building was torn down and a 4,200 sq. ft. showroom was built with a 4,800 sq. ft. warehouse.

1995: Greene County's Home Planning Center

In 1995, GNH noticed a need in the area and opened the area's only Home Planning Center in the original house of the company's founder. The Home Planning Center is a resource center for contractors and homeowners alike to help them easily facilitate the process of remodeling and building new additions, garages, homes, etc. GNH employs a full time draftsman and estimator who will draft custom plans and provide detailed estimates for any project or undertaking.

In 2003 GNH leased a vacant building on Route 32, Greenville in the Bryant's Country Square. After extensive remodeling to the building's interior the company moved its Norton Hill operation into the 43,000 sq. ft. facility in February 2004. GNH opened the area's only state of the art drive thru warehouse facility and expanded their lumber, and hardware lines to address the needs of the community. GNH expanded its hours as well to keep up with the growing demand.

2013: GNH's Latham Location Opens

In 2013, GNH's Design Showcase in Latham opened. The Design Showcase is located at 898 New Loudon Road in Latham and features only the finest products from Marvin & Integrity Windows and Doors, as well as a Kitchen & Bath Design Center that features all of the top brands from MasterBrand Cabinetry, such as Omega, Kemper, Embassy and more.

2014: GNH Discovers History

In 2014, GNH discovers over 100 years in the lumber and building materials industry. A local property owner presented the ownership with a beam that was discovered in a barn that was built at Balsam Shade in Greenville, NY. The beam was signed by Truman Ingalls and after extensive research it was discovered that Truman Ingalls entered into the lumber business well before the official store front of GNH was opened in 1937. A detailed history was discovered in the Ingalls family’s roots in Greene County in the logging and saw mill business that eventually lead to Stanley L. Ingalls son of Truman Ingalls opening the Greenville Norton Hill Lumber facility.

Download History Article

Want to learn more? Download GNH's history article by clicking here.

Picture of GNH Founders.
Picture of GNH Founders.
Picture of GNH Staff.

Left to right: John Ingalls, Stan Ingalls, Genn Howley, Ed McQuillen