Thresher Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Thresher Mill
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HAER photo, 1979
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 Location in Vermont
Location in the United States
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| Location | West Barnet Road, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of the village of Barnet, Vermont |
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| Area | 4.1 acres (1.7 ha) |
| Built | 1836 |
| Built by | Bartholomew Carrick, Alexander Jack |
| Architectural style | propped plank and timber dam |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000386 |
| Added to NRHP | April 4, 1996 |
The Thresher Mill is an old building in Barnet, Vermont, that used to be a busy factory. It started way back in 1836. This mill was the very last one on the Stevens River to use water power. It kept working until the late 1900s! Today, it's called Ben's Mill and is a cool local museum. The place has an old dam and a building from 1872. It also has hidden spots where other old factory buildings used to be. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
Contents
What Does the Thresher Mill Look Like?
The Thresher Mill is in a quiet, countryside area. It's west of Barnet Center. The Stevens River is to its north, and West Barnet Road is to its south. You can see the main mill building and the old dam that crosses the river.
The Mill Building and Dam
The mill building has two and a half stories. It's made of wood and has a metal roof. Wooden boards cover the outside walls. There are also smaller, one-story parts added to each side of the main building. The dam stretches from the building across the river. It's built mostly from large wooden planks and logs. Near the mill, you can find the old spots where barns and a tannery once stood. A tannery is a place where animal hides are turned into leather.
A Look at the Mill's History
The story of this industrial site began in 1836. A man named Benjamin Carrick bought the land and the rights to use the river's water. He built a small log cabin there. Carrick also built a stone dam, and parts of it are still there today. He started a sawmill to cut wood and a tannery.
New Beginnings and New Owners
After 1850, the site was left empty for a while. But in the early 1870s, Alexander Jack brought it back to life. He built the main part of the dam you see now. He also built the mill building that is still standing. Jack ran many different businesses there. He did dyeing, which means coloring fabrics. He also did machining, which is making parts with machines, and blacksmithing, which is working with metal.
Electricity for the Village
In the early 1900s, a water turbine was put in at the mill. A water turbine uses the power of flowing water to spin a machine. This machine then helped make electricity. It was one of the first places to provide electricity to the village of Barnet!
Ben Thresher and the Famous Film
Ben Thresher owned the property from 1947 until he passed away in 1994. During his time, the mill still used water power to run its machines. In 1982, a documentary film called Ben's Mill was made about the mill. It was even nominated for an Academy Award!
See also
