Tag Archives: Maine Forest and Logging Museum

Blackman Stream

Blackman Stream widens out above the Leonards Mill sawmill due to a small dam that routes water for the water powered saw mill.

Blackman Stream above the Leonards Mill Site
Blackman Stream above the Leonards Mill Site

The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”

http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org

October 1, 2022

Leonards Mills: Shingle Mill, 2 of 2

Continued from Leonards Mills: Shingle Mill, 1 of 2

Once he has the shingle in his hand the mill worker cuts one edge off…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

…flips the shingle over…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

…cuts the second edge off…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

then flips the shingle into a pile.

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

Meanwhile the next shingle is ready…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

Just to the left you can see a building sided with cedar shingles from this demonstration mill.

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

I was fortunate that during my September visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum was having Living History Days.

The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”

http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org

October 1, 2022

Leonards Mills: Shingle Mill, 1 of 2

Wooden shingles have long been used in New England due to the abundance of wood and its durability. Ingenuity and mechanical innovations led to commercial production equipment like this Shingle Mill on display at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum.

A short length of cedar is fixed into a mechanism that carries the wood to the saw.

Shingle Mill
Shingle Mill

The mill worker takes each shingle…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

… in a well practiced movement…

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

…lifts the shingle away from the saw blade.

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

A wider view:

Cedar Shingle Mill
Cedar Shingle Mill

This mill has an amazing number of moving parts.

Built By Hackett & Witham, Skowhegan ME
Built By Hackett & Witham, Skowhegan ME

I was fortunate that during my September visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum was having Living History Days.

The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”

http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org

October 1, 2022

Leonards Mills on Blackman Stream

I was fortunate that during my September visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum was having Living History Days.

I’m not keen on taking photographs of strangers and this was a well attended event so my images were somewhat restricted.

One of the highlights of the museum is the water powered saw mill which sits on Blackman Stream. The smoke up the stream was from the encampment of the trapper reenactor, who was cooking stew.

Leonards Mills on Blackman Stream
Leonards Mills on Blackman Stream

Next is the downstream view from that little bridge by the smoke in the first picture, with the covered bridge to the left and the mill works in the middle. It was a grey, dull day and not much fall foliage change; these few pops of orange was about it.

Leonards Mills on Blackman Stream
Leonards Mills on Blackman Stream

The Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley has a variety of exhibits intended “to preserve, celebrate and educate people about the sustainable forest culture of Maine.”

http://www.maineforestandloggingmuseum.org

October 1, 2022