Hanford Mills Museum celebrates 50th anniversary
Jun. 23—Hanford Mills Museum in East Meredith is celebrating its 50th anniversary as a museum this year.
Executive Director Kajsa Harley said the museum received its charter from the state to become a museum May 25, 1973. Since then, generations of families have visited the site to learn about and watch the water-powered sawmill operate.
"My favorite part of the museum is the water wheel," Harley said. "When that water wheel starts turning and transfers the power to all the saws, it's a magical experience. This is my 11th season and seeing the water wheel running is still a thrill."
The water wheel is part of the 177-year-old sawmill people can visit on the site. The water comes from a man-made pond that holds 1 million gallons of water, she said. The pond was dug by hand and horse power, and a feeder channel was dug from the Kortright Creek. The water that powers the mill is then channeled back into the Kortright Creek and eventually travels to the Chesapeake Bay.
Harley said the museum has enough water to run the mill but the dry weather this spring was concerning. There are some saws hooked up to electrical backup if the water gets too low.
To combat dry weather, the Hanfords converted to steam power. On Friday morning, the steam engine in the mill was being inspected and it passed, Harley said.
The water wheel powers several different saws throughout the sawmill and Kevin Jensen, mill and collections specialist, and Ryan Jones, education coordinator, demonstrated two saws during a recent tour. Jensen fed a long board through a rip saw to Jones to cut off an edge of the log. Jones also cut a box-handle hole in a board using a single handhole cutter. The museum sells wooden box kits in the giftshop, he said.
The museum also makes and sells butter tub lids and wine racks. The mill used to make milk bottle drying racks, but by adding another dowel to the rack, it becomes a wine rack, Harley said.
Jones said he likes the history of the mill. "A 22-year-old farmer bought this mill in 1860 and expanded it," he said. "It's part of the economic development of New York state and the westward expansion of the state and country."
In addition to the sawmill, there is a grist and feed mill on the museum's grounds. Farmers would bring their grain to process and either pay to have it processed or give a portion of the grain to the Hanfords as payment for using the mill, Harley said. The gristmill will be running Aug. 12, during the museum's Agriculture Exploration Day, she said.
Jensen is in the process of creating a 50th anniversary display in part of the feed mill that is scheduled to be open to the public during a Sept. 23 event titled "Metal at the Mill Exploration Day." The Dan Rion Memorial Antique Jamboree, where collectors bring their antique machines and vehicles to display at the museum, will also take place that day.
Other events this year are the Woodsmen's Exploration Day Oct. 14, and the Dairy Exploration Day July 15. During the dairy day, ice cream will be churned and may be cooled using ice harvested this past winter from the pond. Harley and Jones said since the ice was thin this year, they don't know if there woill be much left in the ice house.
The museum works with local school districts throughout the school year through the Creating Rural Opportunities Partnership, and gives field trips to schools, Harley said.
The museum recently reopened its learning lab in the old admissions and giftshop space. There, children can read books, make simple machines, color, play historical games and paint. "We wanted to cater to a wider range of kids," Jones said. "Everyone likes to play. This is a nice combination. It blends history, science and art into play."
The museum is at 51 county Highway 12 in East Meredith. It is open Wednesday through Sunday. Tours are offered four times daily at 10:30 a.m., noon, 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. Reservations can be made online at hanfordmills.org, or by calling 607-278-5744.
Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.
