Sunday August 27 at 4:00 pm at the Old Town Hall
Interested in the rich history of tide mills on Westport Island? Join us
on Sunday, August 27 at 4:00 pm at the Old Town Hall for a talk on the
Town’s rich industrial heritage of tide-powered grist and saw mills. The
program is presented by the Friends of Westport Island History.
Mills fostered the island’s development and growth. Starting 250 years ago,
“Jeremisquam Island’s” earliest permanent settlers needed grist mills to grind
their grain crop for flour and feed and saw mills to make the lumber for their
homes. How did these mills come to be built, and who built them?
Once Westport was established as a town, nearly 200 years ago, a second
generation of more advanced tide mills fostered an industry that supported
ship building and the lumber export market throughout Maine, New England
and beyond.
The tide mill era ended in the late 1800’s with the advent of steam and
gasoline-powered mills that could be built closer to sources of logs for milling.
Westport’s last mill closed after the fire of 1918 burned the last mill building.
It’s exciting though to have the remains of dams and pilings to remind us of
these very busy times.
The Town History Committee’s Dennis Dunbar will be joined by Bud Warren
and David Hoyle, both of the Tide Mill institute, to discuss the long history of
tide mills, the mills on the Island and their operators, and the future of tidal
power.
The old Town Hall is located at 1217 Main Road (Route 144), Westport Island.
The program is open to the public, free of charge. The Friends Annual
Meeting will take place at 3 pm in the Town Hall. Refreshments will be served.
For more information, please email FOWIH19@gmail.com.