Jesse Ware handcrafted his own log home from a stand of white pine trees in Hartland, Vermont, founding the company originally known as Vermont Log Buildings — the origin of what is now Real Log Homes, one of the oldest log home companies in North America.
A furnished model home opens in Hartland, VT, allowing customers to experience a Real Log Home firsthand. By winter of that year, production had scaled to three cabins per week.
The first plant site was purchased in Hartland, VT, growing up around an existing sawmill and log yard — establishing the manufacturing foundation that both Real Log Homes and the future Timberpeg brand would build on.
Designer Tom White created the first gambrel roof-style log home, giving Real Log Homes greater design flexibility and expanding the range of architectural styles available to customers.
The first timber frame project — a modular unit composed of simple structures called a Cluster Shed — was constructed. Featuring traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery, this was one of the earliest modular timber framing systems and established what would become Timberpeg's hallmark craftsmanship. The first Timberpeg office was also built in Hartland around this time.
Customer demand for more custom, livable designs evolved the Cluster Shed concept into a new brand. Timberpeg was officially born to serve those seeking larger, more tailored timber frame homes.
As Timberpeg expanded nationally, it launched the Solar Series in response to solar tax incentives of the era, making energy-conscious design a popular and accessible option for customers.
Real Log Homes introduced their new patented Interlock™ Joinery System, a proprietary innovation that improved the structural integrity and precision of log home assembly and set the company apart as an industry innovator.
Designed by Jonathan Rose, AIA, Timberpeg's Director of Design at the time, the Sun Court Series introduced Douglas fir timbers into production — a material that continues to be a signature of Timberpeg homes today.
Frame-wright and custom home builders Jeff Davis and Rick Bascom founded Davis Frame Company with a shared dream: to build the finest custom-designed timber frame homes. The original shop was located in a converted barn in Brownsville, Vermont.
Country Living magazine approached Timberpeg to serve as the feature house for their 10th Anniversary issue. The resulting Craftsman-style home, built in Douglas fir, showcased Timberpeg's design range to a national audience.
Real Log Homes expanded its product line by beginning production of the Swedish Cope log profile, offering customers a distinctive aesthetic that blends traditional Scandinavian timber craftsmanship with North American log home design.
As demand for Davis Frame homes grew over the decade, a purpose-built 22,000 square foot manufacturing facility was designed and constructed in Claremont, New Hampshire, enabling greater capacity and precision in production.
With the implementation of the Hundegger CNC machine, Timberpeg gained the ability to offer more elaborate trusses and joinery options. These expanded capabilities have since become a standard part of everyday Timberpeg production.
A second manufacturing facility was built specifically to meet growing demand for panelized wall systems. This product line continued to expand, particularly within the builder community, adding a new dimension to Davis Frame's offerings.
Bill Silverstein purchased both Real Log Homes and Timberpeg under WHS Homes, Inc., consolidating the manufacturing of both brands into their current shared facility in Claremont, NH. This marked the formation of the WHS Homes, Inc. family of brands.
WHS Homes, Inc. owner Bill Silverstein identified a gap in the marketplace and launched American Post & Beam to reach a broader market with barn-style homes, carriage houses, and farmhouses using traditional post and beam framing. The name was chosen to honor American pride in craftsmanship.
After over three decades building their company, founders Jeff Davis and Rick Bascom retired and transitioned Davis Frame to WHS Homes, Inc. — located just three miles away in Claremont, NH. The acquisition was a natural fit: Jeff Davis had begun his timber frame career at Timberpeg in the early 1970s, and Rick was a Timberpeg rep and contractor during the 1980s.
WHS Homes, Inc. now operates four complementary brands — Real Log Homes, Timberpeg, Davis Frame Co., and American Post & Beam — all manufacturing from Claremont, NH. Together they have completed more than 30,000 residential and commercial projects across North America and beyond.
