Saturday, October 22, 2011

Old Sturbridge Village IV

One thing I learned at this sawmill was how versatile farmers had to be in the 1800s, and how tied they were to the seasons.  Trees were cut down in the late fall, after the harvest was finished.  They were moved to the mill in the winter when the snow and ice made it easier to drag the logs.  Finally, the logs were cut and planed into lumber in the spring when the snow melt provided good water power to operate the mill.



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25 comments:

  1. CindyOctober 22, 2011 at 6:39 AM

    Interesting how timing was everything to them, if they had a year without much snow it must have been very difficult at the mill. Their survival was at stake. We had some tough (and very smart) ancestors!
    I love this series, I haven't been to Sturbridge in a long time, I'd love to go back for a visit.

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  2. KateOctober 22, 2011 at 7:28 AM

    A great collection of photos about the mill, Jack. Good information, too. Love the weathered wood. The details are terrific. Feels like I'm standing right there looking at the building.

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  3. VPOctober 22, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    I like this place and the old mill is really perfect...

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  4. Luis GomezOctober 22, 2011 at 8:55 AM

    Those were definitely different times. Really nice place Jack.

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  5. Bob CroweOctober 22, 2011 at 9:24 AM

    Oh, memories. I think my wife and I visited there about 35 years ago. I wonder if it's changed - in a way, I guess it's not supposed to. By the way, I love II - beautiful Vermeer light.

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  6. sheila lynchOctober 22, 2011 at 9:34 AM

    thanks for the visit to Sturbridge Village, we take so much for granted. I can not imagine central heat, microwave, computer and supermarket! very nice pictures Jack!

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  7. PerthDailyPhotoOctober 22, 2011 at 10:02 AM

    Don't you just love that you find out the most interesting facts when you're researching your pictures Jack. This is a lovely old mill, can imagine what a hive of activity it would have been back then.

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  8. SharonOctober 22, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    Sounds like part of the circle of life!

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  9. SRQOctober 22, 2011 at 10:35 AM

    Seeing this reminds me of going to an old mill in MI for apples and cider when I was little. Good info about the seasons. I love the ingenuity of the those who lived back in the day. ( I really wonder whether I could have survived.)

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  10. LowellOctober 22, 2011 at 10:42 AM

    Superb photo! I'm glad I didn't live back then. Things were just too damn hard!

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  11. UnknownOctober 22, 2011 at 10:45 AM

    I just love this old wooden building! And look at all the colours in this shot. Wonderful, Jack!

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  12. Regina KOctober 22, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    I enjoy reading history like this. Even today farmers life and chores are based on seasons. This is an excellent photo.

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  13. Dave-CostaRicaDailyPhoto.comOctober 22, 2011 at 11:12 AM

    I understood about farmers and the seasons for their crops, of course, but did not appreciate about the seasonal nature of their lumbering and mill work.

    Now that causes another thought. The term millwork for trimmed lumber, used today in hardware stores. I guess that is what they used to do in the mill.

    Thanks for educating me.

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  14. MalyssOctober 22, 2011 at 11:20 AM

    You take a wonderful picture, you learn a lot, and then teach a lot! Even today, farmers are more tied to nature than we are in towns. Maybe not so much anymore.

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  15. Sylvia KOctober 22, 2011 at 12:28 PM

    Oh, I love the mill and the colors and such a terrific capture, Jack! Such interesting history as well! Great post for the day!! Enjoy your weekend!

    Sylvia

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  16. cieldequimperOctober 22, 2011 at 1:06 PM

    Sometimes I wonder if life, for all its hardships, wasn't easier back then. I'm probably very wrong but I like to think that we have complicated a lot to the extreme while trying to simplify things...

    Umm, sorry about that. Old wooden mills are rare and this one is a beauty.

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  17. RedPatOctober 22, 2011 at 1:28 PM

    Wonderful mill! Somehow seems to have been a more efficient use of resources in the olden days.

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  18. youth_in_asiaOctober 22, 2011 at 4:18 PM

    fascinating. I do love old mills like that one too. Such a great window into history.

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  19. EG CameraGirlOctober 22, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    They really were tied to the seasons, weren't they? Actually, the regional forest near me is cut the came way today. Trees are cut in the fall and dragged out in winter because it's easier over frozen ground. I'm not sure when the logs are cut into lumber though.

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  20. RandyOctober 22, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Looks like a good photo for a postcard.

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  21. Chrissy BrandOctober 23, 2011 at 2:55 AM

    A great slice of history and a classic photo.

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  22. Bruce ClarkOctober 23, 2011 at 6:02 PM

    Very nice fall shot and I love hearing the history behind the scene.

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  23. MichelleOctober 23, 2011 at 8:36 PM

    People were so much more in tune with the earth/seasons back then. Great structure.

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  24. LynetteOctober 24, 2011 at 8:53 AM

    Altogether, a brilliant post. Thanks, Jack.

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  25. KarlOctober 25, 2011 at 12:02 PM

    Very beautiful this old mill !!

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