The Packard Sawmill is the sawmill central to many of Twin Peaks’ business disputes. It is owned by the Packard family and becomes a major focus of the conflict involving Catherine Martell, Josie Packard, Ben Horne, and the proposed Ghostwood development.
The mill represents the town’s industrial economy and provides a grounded setting alongside the series’ supernatural mysteries. Its ownership and future are repeatedly threatened by corporate deals, secret partnerships, and attempts to control the valuable land around the town. The sawmill fire is also one of the major dramatic events associated with the location.
Viewers sometimes use “Ghostwood” as if it were the name of the mill, but Ghostwood is the forested area and development project connected to the larger land dispute. The Packard Sawmill is the more specific business name.
The mill also appears in the opening credits’ visual world, helping establish Twin Peaks as a logging town before the murder investigation draws attention to its hidden secrets.