Bisbee Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bisbee Mill
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Bisbee Mill in 2014
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | Chesterfield, Massachusetts |
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| NRHP reference No. | 05000219 |
| Added to NRHP | March 31, 2005 |
The Bisbee Mill is a really old gristmill located at 66 East Street in Chesterfield, Massachusetts. A gristmill is a place where grains like corn or wheat are ground into flour. This historic building sits by the Dead Branch of the Westfield River.
The mill complex includes the main wooden mill building. It also has its old mill pond, which was created by a dam across the river. A special canal brought river water right to the mill to power its machines. The property also holds the spot where the Damon sawmill was built in 1761. Another mill, the Pierce cornmill, was located nearby in 1823.
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Discovering the Bisbee Mill
The Bisbee Mill has a long and interesting history. It started way back in 1823 when Elisha Bisbee created the mill pond. He built a dam to hold the water, but that dam and another one from 1859 are no longer there.
A Look Back in Time
Elisha Bisbee also dug a canal to bring water to his new mill building. There might have been other canals for the other mills too. However, their exact paths are still a mystery today. The mill building itself was used and changed by five generations of the Bisbee family. It finally closed its doors in the 1960s.
Today, the Chesterfield Historical Society owns the property. They bought it in 1997 and now run it as the Bisbee Mill Museum. This lets visitors learn all about its past.
How the Mill Was Built
The main mill building began in 1823. It was a wooden building with a pointed roof, about 30 feet long and 24 feet wide. In the 1850s, another section was added to the east. This part was 20 feet by 24 feet. The two sections were joined together, even though they were at slightly different heights.
Building Foundations
Both parts of the mill originally sat on foundations made of fieldstone. Over time, some of these stones have been replaced with modern concrete. Other parts were made stronger by adding concrete. A third section was built onto the building between 1888 and 1929. This part was 12 feet by 58 feet and had a slanted roof. It was added to the south side of the main building. In 1954, a fourth big section was added to the north side of the building.
What Happened Inside?
Inside the Bisbee Mill, you can see how everything worked. Water power was sent to the mill's three levels using shafts, gears, and belts. These parts helped run many different machines. The mill mainly worked as a gristmill, grinding grain. It also had a woodworking shop and a blacksmith's area.
Mill Machinery
On the bottom level, in the oldest part of the building from 1823, there's a special pit called the wheel pit. This pit holds a turbine wheel that was installed in 1919. All the levels of the mill have been set up to show the equipment used there. This equipment was part of the mill's operations for over 100 years!
The Bisbee Mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005. This means it's recognized as an important historical site.
See also
