Howlands Honors Its Roots—One Tree at a Time

A crew cutting down the old pecan tree that stood at W.B. Howlands for the last century. -Photo by Lyn Fletcher

~For owner Lyn Fletcher, the tree is especially meaningful. “I remember that tree being here when I was just a kid,” he said. “It was a big tree even then.”

~To honor both the tree and the company’s long history, the Howlands are replacing it with another pecan tree—this one from their 1880 store and homestead location in Clayland.

This 1912 photo of W.B. Howland was taken in front of the 360 acre homestead in Clayland, located in the south west corner of CR 250 and 201st Road, nestled on the hill in the large pecan trees that are still thriving. Remnants of the home are still there today. The wagon trail ran east to west, basically through the front yard.
    Standing L-R, WB’s mother Mary Ann Lamb Howland, WB Howland, Aunt Narcissa Lamb. Seated L-R, friend Jessie Goff, Walla Howland and Louise Howland Hines, mother of the famed Andy Hampton Hines war hero. -Photo Submitted by Lyn Fletcher

By Tami Stevenson

As W.B. Howland Hardware Company in Live Oak prepares to celebrate 100 years at its current location, a beloved landmark recently took center stage: the large pecan tree that had shaded the store’s parking lot since the very beginning.

     The tree had been there since the store first opened its doors in 1926, quietly watching generations of customers come and go. So when it had to be removed, many locals felt the loss. But this story, like the Howland legacy itself, doesn’t end there—it simply moves forward, roots and all.

     After years of trying to save the aging tree, owner Lyn Fletcher said the decision was ultimately about safety.

     “We would have never cut that tree down if we could’ve saved it,” Fletcher explained. “We noticed signs of it dying about five years ago and did everything we could.”

     And then came the idea that turned a sad goodbye into a meaningful hello.

A Tree That Carries the Past Forward

     To honor both the tree and the company’s long history, the Howlands are replacing it with another pecan tree—this one from their 1880 store and homestead location in Clayland. The current landowner graciously granted permission for one of the still-thriving trees to be moved and replanted in the exact spot where the original once stood.

     The timing couldn’t be better. The new tree is expected to be in place just in time for Howland’s 100th Anniversary celebration on March 28, marking a full century at the Live Oak location.

     For Fletcher, the tree is especially meaningful.

“I remember that tree being here when I was just a kid,” he said. “It was a big tree even then.”

     Fletcher is the grandson of William Beverly (W.B.) Howland, and the family connection runs as deep as the roots they’re replanting.

Building a Business, Planting a Legacy

     Many don’t realize that the Live Oak store wasn’t the first Howland location in North Florida. There were two prior locations.

     • The earliest Florida operation began in 1843 in Madison, near today’s U.S. Highway 90 and NE 22nd Street at Brickyard Pond. Owned by Edward Church Howland, it focused on brick manufacturing.

   • The second location opened in 1880 in Clayland, Suwannee County, established by John Phillip Howland, father of W.B. Howland.

     The Clayland homestead encompassed 360 acres at what is now the southwest corner of County Road 250 and 201st Road. It was a bustling hub, featuring a sawmill, general store, grits mill, cotton gin, and even a post office. The wagon trail—long before modern roads—ran right through the property, basically through their front yard.

     “You can still see where the land shows signs of the trail in spots,” Fletcher said. “And remnants of the homestead can still be found today.”

From Chickens Out Back to Everything You Need

     The first Live Oak store, established in 1926, sat closer to the road than the current building and was owned by brothers John Phillip Howland Jr. and W.B. Howland. John Phillip Jr. eventually sold out to W.B. It served farmers and residents with groceries and dry goods—and yes, customers could pick out a chicken from a pen out back and have it processed on the spot.

     “The store was known for its tender meats and hand-dipped ice cream back then,” Fletcher recalled.

     Over time, hardware, fencing, paint, and building supplies were added, guided by W.B. Howland’s simple philosophy:

     “Boys, if we don’t have it, we can’t sell it.”

     Today, Howlands has grown into a full building supply, truss manufacturing operation, hardware store, gas station and convenience store—still shaped by the needs of its customers.

A Story That Began Before America

     Though Fletcher is considered a third-generation owner, the Howland mercantile story stretches all the way back to John Howland of the Mayflower, who arrived in America in 1620. Watch for a future Suwannee Valley Times article exploring even more of their remarkable mercantile legacy.

     For now, though, all eyes are on the parking lot—where a new pecan tree will soon take root, carrying the story of past generations into the next century.

     The community is invited to stop by March 28 to help them celebrate 100 years of  W. B. Howland Hardware Company in Live Oak—and to welcome a tree that has already lived a long, meaningful life, now beginning a brand-new chapter.

A new pecan tree will soon take root here, carrying the story of past generations into the next century. -SVT Photo by Tami Stevenson