A Brief History of Chainsaws

How it all started

Dan Hudon Sr. founder of Dan Hudon Sales, starting collecting chainsaws early on. Some of the chainsaws in the museum came from people who traded them towards a newer chainsaw. Others landed in the collection because some people made it their mission to give Dan Sr their chainsaw for whatever reasons they may have had. Throughout the years as the collection grew it seemed a shame not to share them with other chainsaw enthusiasts. In 2012  Dan Hudon Jr. thought a museum would be a great way to share the history of these saws with the interested public. The collection contains many chainsaws that few may recognize and some old favorites that many will. If you are in the Barneveld area stop by and visit the nostalgic chainsaw museum. We are located on Route 12 in Barneveld NY.

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Timeline

A Little History …

In 1939, Dan Jr’s, (the current Hudon owner and operator of Dan Hudon Sales) Grandfather, Oscar Hudon began logging and farming in Crown Point, New York near Lake Champlain, with his sons Daniel, Omer, Paul and Maurice.

 

WWII took priority, and their father went to work in Iron Ore mines, then to MA building tires for the military. After the war, logging and farming took on a new meaning. By then, Oscar Hudon’s eldest son, Daniel,  had two years in the Merchant Marines ferrying troops both ways across the Atlantic.  Daniel’s last trip through the Mediterranean Sea, Port Said, the Red Sea, into the Indian Ocean, made 14 shore stops in India (which included Pakistan back then.) On the return they stopped at Djbjiodoi French Somalia Land, then to Aden, Yemen to fuel up and head back for New York City. Daniel recalls that as one of the longest continuous voyages. They turned salt water into good drinking water. It was a fabulous experience!

 

After getting back home, Daniel wasted some time trucking Pulpwood. By 1965 his family was in  Barneveld, New York. There he opened Dan Hudon Sales and with more stable ideas: chainsaws, selling about every brand!

 

Daniel and his wife Wilma, received so many trips with Homelite, McCulloch, Jonsered,  Stihl, Solo, Ole-Mac Olympic,  Alpine, Husqvarna even a trip to Switzerland with Champion spark plugs due to their success.

 

It seemed the interest in chainsaws and anything “logging”  began years ago for Dan and his family, and his chainsaw collection grew from there.

 

Dan Hudon Jr., Daniel’s son and a third generation Hudon, (current owner and operator, along with his wife, Jodi) have also contributed greatly to the collection of chainsaws.He graciously set up the museum in the show room of his company, Hud-Son Forest Equipment, Route 12, Barneveld, NY.

 

For generations, anything to do with firewood and logging have been a cornerstone of the Hudon family.

 

If you are close to Upstate New York, we invite you to visit our museum directly. Thank you again for your interest.

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