MILL SITES

*Map-Lot*	*Name*	*Public/Private*
041-063 from Hayden Rd.	Shedd	Public Easement
035-020-008 Mill Rd.	Hayden's	From Road
035-020-005 Federal Hill Rd.	Saunder's	Private
035-024 Hayden Rd.	Bailey's	Heritage commission Easement
Burried under parking for Silver Lake Park	Morrill's	State
036-027 Dunklee Mill Rd.	Dunklee	Town Forest
Witches Spring Road	Kendall's	Private
French Mill Road	French's	Private
022-031 Rocky Pond Rd.	Worcester Brothers	Gift to Town
South Merrimack Rd.	Price	Private
West Hollis St.	Proctor's	Private
Runnell's Bridge Rd.	Lawrence
035-020 Federal Hill Rd.	Old Stone Bridge	Town

when: Dawn to dusk on walking trails or from road; some never because of private property- see table.

The reader is referred to the excellent section in Where the Past has been Preserved, on mills and other businesses in Hollis beginning p. 222 and ff. And to Worcester Mill 022-031 where more information on several mills resides as well as this Federal Hill Bridge over the Mill Stream 035-020.

Many can be seen from the road, many are on private property and not accessible to the public except to be seen from the road. Check before visiting. Some, like Worcester Brothers Mill are on town trails.

These sites are some of the oldest in town. There are no mill buildings standing in Hollis, but the foundations of several mills are still clear and readily found. The Worcester Brothers Mill was listed on the Town’s REPP report some time ago as being one of the special sites in town. These other mills are protected by easements or outright gifts to the Town or private conservation groups with one exception and recognized as important in the industrial history of the town and in its development. There were many sawmills in the early history of Hollis making clapboard siding rather than board and batten not unusual. The mills, which were at one time sawmills, were driven by waterpower, but later, engines powered many. In fact the destruction of some of the mills was caused by power explosion, e.g. Worcester’s mill off Rocky Pond Road. Mills also evolved as far as use from sawmills to planning and other uses. The stonework is remarkable in its use of large pieces likely quarried in the north end of Hollis. All walls and sluiceways were dry laid.

At this location is one of the remaining old stone bridges in town under the town road crossing the stream which flows north supplying a series of mills.

Crystalbrook Estates Subdivision - access road from Hayden Road - being developed 2000 encompasses what may be a Native American Indian Site. According to Gary Hume, State Archeologist, the sandy soil, location near water and on heights are three factors which would have made it a likely N A Indian site. Accordingly, the developer has granted the Town easements for further archeological study on the open land within the development including an early cellar hole at the corner of Old Road and 122, the Shedd Mill site, and the two old roads. See the notes on file with the Hollis Heritage Commission and the Planning Board regarding these easements and protected status. (ese2000)

On various tributaries of the same stream running from the swampy area to the South of Federal Hill and Plain Road through to Mill Pond (Hayden’s Mill) and Mill Road and beyond, emerging as Witches Spring Brook on Silver Lake Road near Hayden Road there were four mills the sites of which can still be found: Saunders, Bailey’s, Hayden’s and Shedd’s.

Bailey Mill, to the NW is under the protection of the Hollis Heritage Commission and will have markings and a trail.. Small wells along the trails are open and caution is advised.

Hayden Mill site can be seen from the Mill Road. The sluiceway is to the east of the pond. The surrounding area is private property. The mill owner for a time lived at 70 Hayden Road and accessed the mill from a trail down hill.

Many other mills existed, as well, among them were Worcester Brothers, given to the Town, [south of Rocky Pond], Price[off S. Merrimack Rd.], French’s [French Mill Road], Proctor’s [West Hollis St.], and one at the foot of Silver Lake. ese 2001)

Morrill’s Mill was at the junction of the stream from Silver Lake to Dunklee Pond and having burned, was buried under the parking lot of the State Park at the time of its construction. The Mill owner’s house was moved up Silver Lake Road to #183.

Basic text is from the DAR History of Hollis Homes, edited by Deborah E. Lovejoy 1953 with accompanying map (Cudworth). Codes used are initials of editors from this book and from 1999-2000 update editors. See bibliography for full information.

Mr. Powers built this, the first gristmill in this section. It was in operation over a hundred years. Winchol Wright rebuilt the gristmill and added the sawmill. Taylor Dunklee put in a circular saw to replace the original up-and-down saw. The buildings were torn down by the…Pennichuck Water Works Company. (B.H. No. 64)

Mr. Frank Burge says that Powers’ Mill was moved from Parker Brook to this place by Winchol Wright.

This (Kendall’s) was a gristmill but it has not been used as such for a good many years. Hayden Brothers used it occasionally to make barrel heads or staves and Norman Howe still sometimes uses it for planing. (1952)

The first mill was on the north branch west of the road. The pond and the clay pit were on the south branch, which was probably the result of digging the canal.

Warner Read owned the land on which this stone house with a cellar kitchen was built near the mill owned by the Frenches. Probably it was built about 1850, doubtless by Harvey Powers. Timothy French 3rd bought it but never paid, so it fell back into Read hands. Later Jake Bagley lived here but it was then a part of the Wright holdings. In its last years when it was falling to pieces Charlie Hazen occupied it. Lewis Rideout tore down mill and house at the time he built the barn at his place. (B.H., R.R. No.731)

Timothy French 3rd, who had lived on Twiss Lane (78A) and had had a mill there, moved to Flint's Brook. Here he had two mills joined at right angles to each other. His brother Nathaniel probably worked in the mill too. They made shingles, lobster pots, white oak butts, grain winnowing mills, etc. William Worcester, son of Taylor Gilman, worked in the mill for a while. Later when Charles Read, son of Warner Read, owned the property, Ed Mace made cider here. Now the site is owned by Wright Brothers.

The foundations of the mill which stood on the banks of the Nashua River can be seen from the edge of the road. See history of Runnell’s Bridge for photos and description.