Wagner Lumber Company was started in 1973 by Les Wagner. Mr. Wagner began his business sawing hemlock to order for local farmers with an Ireland 6 purchased in Montour Falls, New York. In 1976 Mr. Wagner was joined by Steve Schaeffer. They were both recent graduates of Cornell University and eager to learn.

In 1978, Wagner had a setback, a fire burnt the sawmill to the ground. The decision was made to rebuild and by 1979 they were up and running with a new circular mill. By 1986 another decision was made, this one was to take advantage of the maturing hardwood forests of New York and change from sawing hemlock and pine to sawing oak, cherry and maple.

At this time there were 6 employees and Wagner was processing 500 loads of logs per year. During the next ten years, staff was added, the mill was expanded, and by 1996 Wagner had 60 employees and processed 9000 truck loads of logs annually.

In 2001, another milestone was reached with the purchase of a sawmill and lumber drying facility in Cayuta, New York (the old Cotton-Hanlon facility). This operation is named Wagner Hardwoods, LLC, and with this acquisition and subsequent upgrades and changes; The Wagner Companies now employ over 200 people and process 15,000 loads of logs into lumber per year.