Seaver Sawmill
The Seaver Saw Mill was built by Alexander Seaver in 1822 adjacent to the Smith's Falls dam in the village of Moscow, Vermont. The mill is the first structure built in the sprawling Moscow Mill complex. The Seaver sawmill and Adams woodworking complex dominated the economy in the Village for over 100 years. The village was first named Smith' Falls in recognition that the dam built on river rock and ledge was the first source of economic development in the hamlet.[1] The village remained Smith's Falls until the first Post Office Master officially referred to the village under the colloquial name 'Village of Moscow'.[2]
The mill remains nestled in the bend of the Little River. Built on a 6 ft (1.8 m) thick fieldstone foundation, two stone archways in the south elevation and one stone archway in the west elevation are unique elements of the foundation that keep the mill open to the river's flow.[3] Gates in the mill and dam were utilized to allow water to flow into the foundation to power a waterwheel and later mechanical turbines for woodworking and electricity generation.[1]
The combination grist and sawmill is a post-and-beam wooden building that sits on the foundation. The exterior is a combination of clapboard, vertical board, and board and batten siding. The roof rafters and strapping appear to be original and the spacing of the strapping is set for wooden shingles. The original shake roof was replaced with a sheet metal roof in the 1930s.[1]
The timber framed structure is made of reciprocally sawn softwood timbers, joined using the square rule method. All of the timbers are reciprocally sawn, even the 30 in (760 mm) long top plates.[1]
The east elevation has one window in the gable end and evidence of housing the original sawmill. The semi exposed wall was originally open to to allow millwrights to bring logs into the sawmill. This wall continues along the north elevation to the barn door entryway.[1]
The north elevation is the entry to the mill which is a large barn style rolling entry door. A large projecting gable sits above the entry and narrow gable roof dormers.[1]
The west elevation of the building has three windows and evidence of a removed addition. It's believed this end held the grist mill.[1]
The original Smith Fall's dam was rock and timber built on ledge in 1822.[4] It begins at the southeast corner of the sawmill and spans 200 feet across the river. The dam was rebuilt with concrete in 1918.[1]
The mill and dam (1822) were the heart of the Smith Woodworking Factory complex. In 1825, Alexander and Nancy Seaver built their house uphill from the mill. In 1845 the Smith's Window Sash, Door and Blind Factory was fully operational. This factory was destroyed by a fire in 1877 and Lemuel Smith rebuilt the remains into the Smith Wood Planing & Dressing Factory in 1878. Later known as Moscow Mills, this factory was rebuilt in 2002 and removed in 2019. The Smith & Straw Starch Factory (1848-1883) was the second starch factory in Stowe. The Moscow General Store was built by the Smith family in 1896 and a Post Office was later opened in the store. A barn was built in 1910. The Second Office (1950) was built adjacent to the mill.[1]
The Moscow Mills complex was an expansive industrial center with at least ten buildings. Now the location is home to the town of Stowe Electric Department administrative and operations staff.[5] The Moscow General Store and Post Office (under renovation), the Fred E. Smith Barn (2001 converted into mixed commercial space), Alexander Seaver House (1825, rebuilt 2021), and Seaver sawmill are all that remain of the complex.[1]
History
For 200 years some of the things produced in this mill include sash windows, broom handles, electricity and butter tubs.[1] Electricity was generated on site until Hurricane Irene flooded the turbine chamber. Stowe Electric purchased the property in 2017 and is working towards restoring the mill.[6]
Modernization
The Town of Stowe Electric Department received Congressionally Directed funding in 2022 to begin the restoration of the dam and canal to stabilize the historic structure, protect the mill from flooding and storms, to enhance resiliency along the Moscow Road corridor, and prepare the site for restored hydroelectric generation.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 National Register of Historic Places, U.S. Department of Interior. "Moscow Village Historic District". National Park Service National Register of Historic Places. US Department of Interior. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ↑ Stowe Reporter. "Moscow: Quirky Suburb of Stowe". Stowe Reporter. VTCNG. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ↑ University of Vermont, Historic Preservation Program. "News Letter Fall 2021" (PDF). Univ. of Vermont Historic Preservation Program. UVM. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ↑ Stowe Reporter. "Stowe Electric To Restore Hydro Facility". VTCNG. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ↑ Electric Department, Town of Stowe. "Town of Stowe Electric Department". Stowe Electric Department. Town of Stowe. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ↑ Stowe Electric Department. "Stowe Integrated Resource Plan" (PDF). Town of Stowe Electric Department. Town of Stowe. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ↑ Homeland Security, U.S. Senate Appropriations FY 2023. "Congressionally Directed Spending Items" (PDF). US Senate Committee on Appropriations Congressional Directed Spending Requests. U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
External links
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