Smithfield’s Ross Lampe has published a personal history of an long-time local business enterprise that he has helped develop over the past half-century.
“The History of the Guy C. Lee Company and Lampe & Malphrus Lumber Company” is a colorful 84-page booklet filled with stories and pictures about the business.
“It is significant to note,” Lampe writes, that “there are no other lumber companies in Johnston County or in Wake County that have been in continuous operation over the period 1924-2012.”
Lampe is the son-in-law of the company’s founder, the late Guy C. Lee, who sold the business to Lampe in 1959. In 1986 James Malphrus joined Lampe as a partner in the lumber business.
Lampe’s history is filled not only with narratives about the company’s operations over the past 90 years but also about many of its key employees – and some history about related family enterprises managed by Lampe’s sons Guy and John.
The booklet cost $15 and is on sale at the Heritage Center, located at 241 E. Market Street in Downtown Smithfield. It may also be ordered through the center’s Web site at jcheritagecenter.org/giftshop.
To “kick off” the holiday season, the center’s Bookstore and Gift Shop from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 16 during Downtown Smithfield’s “Wine Walk.” For information, call 919-934-2836 or e-mail heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com.
