Our History

On September 5, 1892, nine men connected to the lumber and forest products trade gathered in a railroad car in Gurdon, Arkansas. They were traveling to a lumbermen's convention in Kansas City, and during that journey, they founded what would become the world's oldest fraternal organization for the forest products industry: Hoo-Hoo International.

The founders chose the name "Hoo-Hoo" as a playful, memorable moniker, and adopted the black cat with a curled tail as their symbol. The number nine became sacred to the organization — nine founders, nine aims, and nine as a recurring motif throughout all rituals and traditions.

From those humble beginnings, Hoo-Hoo grew rapidly through the late 19th and early 20th centuries, establishing clubs across the United States and eventually expanding internationally to Canada, Australia, and other timber-producing nations.

The organization weathered two World Wars, the Great Depression, and countless industry transformations, always adapting while maintaining its core commitment to fellowship, ethics, and the advancement of the forest products industry.

Today, Hoo-Hoo International continues to serve thousands of members across hundreds of clubs worldwide. Annual conventions bring members together from across the globe, while local clubs provide the grassroots community that has always been the heart of the organization.