Our History

Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel can trace its roots all the way back to 1913 to Wallace “Percie” McGeorge, a good man with a vision. He set a strong example of integrity and service, building a company that would withstand economic changes, natural disasters, the Great Depression and more. Throughout it all, his business survived – and even thrived. As the years went on, Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel kept moving forward, always focusing on its employees, customer service, safety, quality, and growth.

  • The Choice

    Wallace “Percie” McGeorge had a choice to make. After a childhood in rural Virginia, Percie moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas in 1901 and landed a job with the city’s streetcar authority, running a trolley from downtown to the Arkansas River several times a day. Offered a promotion in 1912, Percie chose a different path. With a $25 down payment, he secured the “Juliette and Bill,” a steam-powered sternwheel sand sucker and jumped into the sand and gravel business. By 1913, Percie secured the backing of four local businessmen and incorporated Pine Bluff Sand & Gravel (PBSG).

  • The Storm

    A devastating flood in 1927 tested communities up and down the Mississippi and Arkansas rivers – and proved the value of the company Percie had built. PBSG crews and equipment aided storm response and recovery, then turned to the difficult work of preventing the next disaster. The company spearheaded riverbank stabilization, levee construction, and navigation support that enhanced the safety of people and communities and launched decades of public works. PBSG’s effective flood response led to steady work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, projects that aided the region and sustained the company through the challenging years of the Great Depression.

  • The Expansion

    Percie died in 1943, but the foundation he laid helped PBSG continue to grow. Under Wallace P. McGeorge Jr and his brother Harvey, PBSG pivoted into larger, more complex projects through the 1940s and 1950s, supplying aggregates and building structures to support river navigation. In the 1960s and 1970s, the company again partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to improve the navigability of the Arkansas River and later the Red River. PBSG gradually expanded beyond its home base of Arkansas, using its growing reputation for reliability and quality to keep employees and equipment busy with out-of-state assignments.

  • Strategic Diversification

    Starting in the 1990s, PBSG made a strategic decision: expand our capabilities to deliver more reliable service to customers. We acquired Cumberland River Quarry in Kentucky to ensure direct access to high-quality limestone and sandstone. We built a barge fleet and logistics infrastructure to move materials from pit to project without third-party delays. And we've grown our geographic reach—from Tennessee and Kentucky to Florida and Texas—putting the right materials closer to the jobs that need them.

  • The Future

    Four generations after Percie tied his future to the river, PBSG remains family-led, values-driven, and people-focused. The business continues to evolve, with a growing emphasis on materials supply. But the company’s mission is unchanged:  do the work the right way and always invest in people and communities.