HARDEN, INC.
MELBOURNE BEACH, FLORIDA

It has been said that our society has consumed more natural resources in the past 100 years than in all of man’s previous existence combined. However, for over 170 years and through five generations of family ownership, Harden Furniture has upheld a tradition of environmental stewardship. By employing its own Forestry Team and adhering to environmentally-sound principles and proven silviculture methods, Harden has been practicing responsible environmental policy since before the Industrial Revolution. Not only is the Harden family five generations old, but many Harden employees have five generations of historical roots in the company. Why such loyalty? From the very beginning, founder Charles S. Harden Sr.’s concern for his employees and the village in which they lived was reflected in the construction of churches, a community house, and several homes for the employees – in a very distinct way, a sustainable community before it’s time. That groundbreaking pioneer spirit was evident in the Harden family long before a single piece of furniture The company's originator, Charles S. Harden, Sr., was born to a family who moved into the unbroken wilderness of Verona, N.Y. in the 1800s. Charles eventually headed west in search of adventure and gold. Finding none, Harden decided to move his family back to New York, settling in McConnellsville and purchasing a sawmill on Fish Creek. His life experience to that point was one of living off the land exclusively. As a result, Charles Harden had a strong sense of respect for the land, which became part of the Harden family “DNA.” The groundbreaking pioneer spirit was evident in the Harden family long before a single piece of furniture was ever produced. The co mpany’s originator, Charles S. Harden, Sr., was born to a family who moved into the unbroken wilderness of Verona, NY in the 1800’s. Though he apprenticed as a brickmaker in neighboring Oneida, Charles decided to follow his adv enturous instincts and ran boats on the Erie Canal for two years before moving west to the burgeoning frontier. Settling in Illinois, Charles worked on the Illinois Central Railroad and stayed in the region for ten years. Marriage didn’t appear to slow him down — he traveled overland by wagon train to Pike’s Peak, Colorado in search of gold. Finding none, Harden decided to move his family back to New York State, settling permanently in McConnellsville and purchasing a sawmill on the winding Fish Creek. Charles’ son, Frank S., started working in his dad’s sawmill as soon as he was able, making and packing shingles. Always ambitious, Frank read and studied intently outside of regular schooling, with a special interest in the wood arts. At 14, Frank did double-duty as a teacher and sawmill employee, continuing his after hours education in business. Railroads and canals, expanding rapidly during that era, needed bridges. Father and son saw the opportunity, took the challenge and, with their resource of lumber, formed a successful bridge construction company. When the Upstate New York winters suspended construction, they decided there was also a need for quality kitchen chairs, which they could easily produce. Popularity of the Harden company’s early designs soon led to manufacture of parlor chairs, rockers and upholstered pieces, and the Harden family tradition of fine furniture craftsmanship was born. Until Frank’s son, Harry, became president in the late 1930s, the company used such lumbers as mahogany, maple and sometimes birch. Surveying the region’s natural timber resources, Harry - long an advocate of the native black cherry hardwood in Harden’s products - initiated its use as the company’s primary material for case goods. It has been said that our society has consumed more natural resources in the past 100 years than in all of man’s previous existence combined. However, for over 170 years and through five generations of family ownership, Harden Furniture has upheld a tradition of environmental stewardship. By employing its own Forestry Team and adhering to environmentally-sound principles and proven silviculture methods, Harden has been practicing responsible environmental policy since before the Industrial Revolution. Not only is the Harden family five generations old, but many Harden employees have five generations of historical roots in the company. Why such loyalty? From the very beginning, founder Charles S. Harden Sr.’s concern for his employees and the village in which they lived was reflected in the construction of churches, a community house, and several homes for the employees – in a very distinct way, a sustainable community before it’s time. That groundbreaking pioneer spirit was evident in the Harden family long before a single piece of furniture The company's originator, Charles S. Harden, Sr., was born to a family who moved into the unbroken wilderness of Verona, N.Y. in the 1800s. Charles eventually headed west in search of adventure and gold. Finding none, Harden decided to move his family back to New York, settling in McConnellsville and purchasing a sawmill on Fish Creek. His life experience to that point was one of living off the land exclusively. As a result, Charles Harden had a strong sense of respect for the land, which became part of the Harden family “DNA.” The groundbreaking pioneer spirit was evident in the Harden family long before a single piece of furniture was ever produced. The co mpany’s originator, Charles S. Harden, Sr., was born to a family who moved into the unbroken wilderness of Verona, NY in the 1800’s. Though he apprenticed as a brickmaker in neighboring Oneida, Charles decided to follow his adv enturous instincts and ran boats on the Erie Canal for two years before moving west to the burgeoning frontier. Settling in Illinois, Charles worked on the Illinois Central Railroad and stayed in the region for ten years. Marriage didn’t appear to slow him down — he traveled overland by wagon train to Pike’s Peak, Colorado in search of gold. Finding none, Harden decided to move his family back to New York State, settling permanently in McConnellsville and purchasing a sawmill on the winding Fish Creek.