Eager Beaver history, philosophy



Eager Beaver is the latest in a long line of companies centered around the Upper Cumberland area of Tennessee. Owner Doug Smith, who had grown up in the sawmill business, returned to Clay County after receiving an engineering degree and working shortly for a worldwide corporate giant.

He started Green Forest Wood Products in 1970, and over a dozen other companies have followed. Smith now owns Honest Abe Log Homes, Barky Beaver Mulch, GF Hardwoods, a trucking company, and five sawmill companies in the area. All are leaders in their field.

Smith also owns McFarland Creek Outdoors and the new Swan Ridge Development on nearby Dale Hollow Lake.

Smith's son, Shane, followed in the family business and built a log home. In the process, he also made his children a wooden playground set. Nobody knew it at the time, but that was the beginning of Eager Beaver Playgrounds.

Doug added a cedar mill located just down the road from the main offices in Moss, an unincorporated village located in Clay County, to the burgeoning family. The availability of plenty of red cedar, the capacity to saw it, and dozens of years of manufacturing and construction experience all led to the creation of the attractive, high-quality playgrounds now produced by Eager Beaver.

Eager Beaver Playgrounds calls on the incredible diversity and experience of all the other companies to produce top of the line products. Sawmill and log home construction and design experience, along with extensive architectural and engineering expertise, give Eager Beaver an unbeatable combination--a combination that will provide hours of safe, wholesome fun for youngsters during those early years.

Eager Beaver officially joined the company fold in the spring of 2005 in Moss. Since that time Eager Beaver Playgrounds has added a second sales office in Algood, just outside Cookeville, and also has several local distributors in surrounding areas in the Upper Cumberland and south-central Kentucky areas.



All the cedar used in Eager Beaver systems is 100 percent natural and is completely free from chemical compounds used in pressure-treated woods. The locally-harvested cedar is completely non-toxic.

The pre-assembled playground systems are locally-produced and designed.
Eager Beaver offers a great variety of different designs and sizes to fit your needs and budget, and can customize any of them to meet your needs.

Everything is ready for setup when the system is delivered. The wood components are cut to length with holes pre-drilled, and all the hardware you'll need is included.

Eager Beaver also offer the convenience of "one-stop shopping," with assembly and landscaping options.

An experienced company representative can not only deliver your kit, but construct it for you. Eager Beaver can also design a complete playground system and site with its expertise and products from sister companies.

The company can also finish your site with border, landscaping fabric and a durable, high-quality playground safety surfacing.

Accessories for the playsets include at least three different types of slides, a glider, rock climb, and different types of swings, rope climbs and rings. Many of these accessories are interchangeable from one system to another, depending on the design.

So much of our early childhood revolves around the playground. We all have fond memories of swinging and climbing on playground equipment. Eager Beaver playsets will help foster these lasting memories for your child, and will also help them improve their motor skills, self-confidence and dexterity.