Will Branch is 75, but he works like a man half his age.
During the lunch hour Wednesday, he remained behind the wheel of a track hoe. His task? Salvaging the wood from homes on Mary Street that have been involved in a now-settled eminent domain case between the owners and the Columbia School District.
The Tylertown native, who now lives in Bogalusa, La., has made a career in an unusual trade: antique lumber. He tears it from old buildings and turns it into everything from beautiful hardwood floors to homemade Bowie knife handles.
The grain density and slow tree growth make it incomparable to anything you can buy today, Branch says. “My money's in them boards. That's my gold,” he said.
But to get to it takes a lot of effort. He was pushing together a large pile of debris to be hauled off Wednesday.
His website lists antique heart pine and cypress along with brick and glass.
“By the recovery of these historic woods, which would otherwise be destroyed, Will Branch gives us a chance to enjoy this no longer abundant treasure again,” the website says.
Branch says he's worked for numerous celebrities, including pro athletes and country music stars. And Branch kind of reminds you of one of the old country-Western singers. He has a full head of combed-back hair and big sideburns, is friendly with a broad smile and is eager to share stories from his many decades in the lumber business.
From his truck he pulls out a Bowie knife, which he said he made the handle for from wood claimed from the home of Jim Bowie in Louisiana, with Garth Brooks's name inscribed on it. Branch said he plans to present it to the singer when Brooks tours in this area again.
In the meantime, he continues his labor on the five homes on Mary Street.
The Columbia School District and owners Charles R. Royce and Edwina H. Royce have settled the eminent domain suit, which came about after problems with the appraisal, with the district agreeing to pay $105,500 for the property. It's across the street from Columbia Elementary School. The settlement, filed Sept. 12 in circuit court, gave 60 days for the Royces “to remove all or any part of the homes.”
Pictured Above: Will Branch operates a track hoe Wednesday at a house on Mary Street. The Bogalusa, La., resident makes wood floors and furnishings from antique wood he salvages. | Photo by Charlie Smith
