Where We Came From
Sharing Rural Heritage
The story of Sand Creek Post & Beam, Inc., is a living testament to the power of a dream. It all began when Len Dickinson and his wife, Jule Goeller, embarked on a mission to share their rural heritage and its rich history with the rest of the nation.
With an interest in timber, Len and Jule began researching kit barns—the kind once marketed by Sears and Montgomery Ward—and conceived of a way to create modern barn kits that could be shipped far and wide. On March 1, 2004, their vision took shape with the official name Sand Creek Post & Beam, Inc., marking the start of a personal journey that would shape the company's identity.
The couple quickly learned that many others shared their sentiment and desired sturdy, custom-built wood barns and homes. Len and Jule had identified a unique market and launched their company when the baby boomer generation, much like themselves, was moving to the countryside. The idea took off.
Like many small businesses, Len and Jule started theirs at home, producing their very first barn kit in their driveway. As interest grew, the couple moved the business out of their home and rented a small office in Wayne, Nebraska, with an attached warehouse they shared with the building’s owner.
Award-Winning Company
The Sand Creek Post & Beam, Inc. employees worked hard to create positive experiences for every customer. This dedication resulted in the company being recognized with many awards over the past two decades. The impressive growth was not a stroke of luck but a result of strategic decisions, as demonstrated by a consistent presence on the INC 500 Fastest Growing Companies list from 2009 to 2012. In 2011, Sand Creek was honored as the SBA Nebraska Business of the Year, a testament to the leader's business acumen. This forward-thinking approach was further validated when Len and Jule received the NBDC Sustainability of the Year Award in 2015, highlighting their unwavering commitment to sustainable business practices.
Growth Spurt
Dickinson and Goeller's business grew quickly, expanding their footprint at their headquarters in Wayne, Nebraska. In the following years, they expanded operations outside of Nebraska by acquiring Texas Timber Frames in San Antonio, TX. In 2017, they added a sawmill in Kelliher, Minnesota and another at Cass Lake, Minnesota in 2022 to their operations. But their journey came with challenges.
Even Disaster Won’t Keep Them Down
On October 4, 2013, an EF-4 tornado destroyed their production facility in Nebraska, and the experience proved to be one of the most defining moments of the company. Fortunately, rural Americans are known for their determination, and within a month, the company was back to full production in rented buildings.
Continued Growth
Rewarded for their perseverance through the years, Len and Jule have seen a significant increase in the size and scope of Timberlyne projects and capabilities since 2004. Customers can still purchase traditional post-and-beam structures, including the popular pre-designed barns and homes. However, timber framing is also an option for someone looking for a fully custom showstopping structure. The Timberlyne team has recently taken on the increasingly popular mass timber solution for large commercial projects.
Never settling, Timberlyne experts partnered with Joeris General Contractors in 2023 to construct the Victory Capital Performance Center, the training facility for the NBA Team, the San Antonio Spurs. The 134,000-square-foot facility is the largest mass-timber-constructed training facility in U.S. professional sports.
Building Dreams, Connecting Lives
Both Len and Jule are retired from the
day-to-day operations of Timberlyne but remain active in directing the company.
The dream continues with Jack Dickinson, Len's son and Timberlyne's current
CEO. He now carries the torch and guides the employees in their mission to
deliver the strength and beauty of wood to customers.
More to Come
What began as a dream in a Nebraska driveway has grown into over 10,000 buildings in 49 states, with no two exactly the same.
Though the company continues to expand, Timberlyne remains committed to the belief that the ideal space blends beauty, functionality, sustainability and inspiration. This drives us to not only create exquisite buildings, but to provide matchless service every step of the way.
As it was on day one, it continues to be both an honor and a privilege to create timeless homes, barns and businesses that will inspire awe for generations to come.
