Found off Vermont Route 100 in Warren, this mill has gone through many reincarnations, and continues to be used today. (Editor’s note: the building appears abandoned from some angles, but the owner assures me that business is ongoing. It’s great to know a historic mill building continues with modern businesses.) A brief history of this site, from History of the Town of Warren compiled by Katharine Carlton Hartshorn.
Fire, as well as high water, plagued the mill business. Palmer and Wakefield lost a mill by fire. Henry W. Brooks lost his by fire in 1947 and again in 1949. And the Bobbin Mill originally built by Erastus Butterfield in 1878 burned down in the early 1930’s when owned by Parker and Ford. They began rebuilding on a shoestring in 1932, but fire struck again before completion. It was finally rebuilt and run as a mill for twenty-five years. Under the ownership of Barry Simpson and David Sellers in 1974, the Bobbin Mill was again damaged by fire. It was rebuilt and became the birthplace of several manufacturing businesses, including Union Woodworks, Vermont Iron Stove Works, Vermont Castings, North Wind Power Company, and Dirt Road Company.
The mill showing damage and decay.
Hunter Bobbin Mill appears on the exterior.
The mill is composed of many blocks, likely additions from the various industries that have been located in the building.
The Double Press Cornice Brake. Industrial archaeologists: who can shed some light on this one?
The power source for operating the mill.
Twin Motor Electric.
Another view of the exterior, missing a few walls.
Around the corner.
Lincoln Brook Falls
Take a walk on the trail while you’re in the Mad River Valley. The water is blue and the rocks are worn from the falls, and even in the late fall, it was a peaceful (albeit chilly) place for a stroll. Note that this is private. Preservation in Pink does not encourage trespassing. Please respect the owner’s privacy and the business operating in the building.
Preservation in Pink 