Grist mill, 1897
Sawmill, millpond
The technology was a simple water power driven “Up and Down” saw with a carriage system
to move the timber towards the saw. After 1840, the up and down saw would have been
replaced by a circular saw.
At some point prior to 1733, the dam, grist mill and sawmill apparently suffered severe
damage from a large flood. When Samuel Williams and his son Benjamin rebuilt the dam
in 1734 they increased the height of the original Hough dam by 4 to 5 feet using large field
and cut stones. They added two new sluiceways – one for the rebuilt grist mill and a second
approximately 10 feet to the north of the grist mill for their newly constructed ironworks.
As part of the reconstruction, three spillways were installed on the northern end of the dam to
help control water levels in the impoundment during high flow events. The spillways ended
the ability of wagons to cross the dam so the Williams built a wooden bridge 12 to 16 feet
downstream of the dam to connect the two banks of the river.
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