About OK Coal and concrete
Established 1936

COAL WAS KING

James W. (Whitey) McClelland was born August 2, 1913, therefore his business practices were formed during the “Great Depression”. During the 20’s and 30’s most homes were heated by coal and/or wood. After leaving school earlier than his mother, who was the first woman on the school board, would have liked, Whitey founded Macks OK Service in 1932 to supply residential homes with coal furnaces. By 1936 when he married Aridean Hogan he had three single axle trucks along with a filling station and coal yard, located at the corner of Maysville Avenue and LaSalle Street in South Zanesville, Ohio. During these years his business was growing and he added trucks. His largest account was hauling coal for Earl J. Jones, one of our areas first coal barons.

In 1948 he moved to a farm outside of town. Where J.W. raised his family of three sons, one daughter, Shetland ponies, Polled Herford cattle and Standardbred horses. Coal was no longer king in that homes were increasingly being heated by gas or electric. With an eye to the future McClelland and one of his employees drove to Chicago and stayed close to the railroad, where most coal companies were located, to see what businesses they were expanding to. Upon his return he went into the Ready Mix concrete business which proved to be very successful.

During these years Mack never lost his love of trucking and was known to refer to a new truck as “beautiful”.
James W. McClelland passed away in 1986 leaving the business to his widow, three sons and a daughter. In 1989-1990 the family developed the homestead into EagleSticks, a championship 18 hole golf course.
Seventy-Eight years later McClelland Inc. includes, McClelland Trucking, OK Coal and Concrete, OK Sales and Rental, EagleSticks Golf Club and EagleSticks Restaurant and banquet facility.