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Peter Hamm, head of Historic Preservation Associates, works on sill repair in July, 2017.

 

 

Chamberlin

'looks

happy'

WOODSTOCK — Restoration is well underway at Woodstock’s historic Chamberlin Mill. 

This summer has seen some remarkable changes at Chamberlin Mill.  Since May, Historic Preservation Associates of Wales, Mass., has been meticulously restoring important timber frame elements undergirding this historic sawmill on the Still River in Woodstock. 

Rotted sills and joists have been repaired or replaced as needed, and the building has been carefully and slowly brought back to plumb.  As a neighbor commented recently, the building now “looks happy.”

With this basic structural work complete, repairs are underway to fill in gaps in the dry laid stone foundation.  Most of the stones come directly from the site where they had tumbled as the building, unused for a half century, settled on deteriorating sills.  Further work on an interior post and other elements continues as well, but for the first time in many years, the building stands squarely on its foundation, with a proudly straight roofline. 

Once timber frame repairs are complete, Chamberlin Mill, Inc., the non-profit organization responsible for the historic site, will be able to replace the metal roof that has served the building for over a half century, and which is credited with keeping the building substantially  intact throughout this time.  Then, the 1873 Lane #1 circular saw with its substantial 48” blade will be rebuilt and connected to the power source that was used after major flooding in 1936 destroyed its water power capacity.  This 1928 straight-eight Studebaker engine is itself a story of remarkable restoration by volunteers from Mystic Seaport.

Visitors to Chamberlin Mill’s Walktober event at 2 Pp.m. Oct. 1 can hope to catch a glimpse of the rebuilt engine and to see the progress that has been made at the site this summer.   Celebrating Agriculture visitors will also have an opportunity to see the engine in operation at the Woodstock Fairground’s Brunn Barn on September 23. 

Chamberlin Mill, Inc. continues on schedule to have an operational sawmill ready for public view by 2019.  In the interim the Mill is open for occasional events.  Its story has already become part of local history study for Woodstock third graders, with classroom presentations including hands-on time with working models of an early undershot water wheel and later water turbine, both of which were likely used at the Mill. 

The site, in use by one family for more than one and a half centuries, supported a grist mill and sawmill operation in its early years, and retained its sawmill operation through the 1960s.  An early turbine remains buried in mud; post-Civil War gears and pulleys as well as a saw carriage for the 1873 saw remain in place.  Research underway for a National Register of Historic Places nomination has determined that the current post and beam building dates from about 1900.   There is a great deal of history here, and a real story about early lumbering, technological change, renewable energy, and how ingenious agricultural mill owners kept  one of New England’s early small-scale industrial sites operational for a very long run.  Chamberlin is the only complete, publicly accessible structure of its type in Connecticut, complementing Ledyard’s up-down saw mill in telling the story of how New Englanders got lumber for the houses and barns that dot our historical landscape. 

While there are no structural remains of a grist mill at the site, a large mill stone, raised from the adjacent Still River many decades ago, has been given to Chamberlin Mill, Inc. by Tom Campbell of Pomfret.  This artifact and many others from the building and nearby area will be part of the Chamberlin Mill collection.  The site is on the State Register of Historic Places.

Further information about Chamberlin Mill is available through its website, www.chamberlinmill.org. To become a Friend of Chamberlin Mill and receive occasional newsletters or to volunteer, send email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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