Historic Mills of Connecticut

Use (Historic)

• Textiles

Largest Documented Workforce

n/a

Historic Narrative

For historical significance see National Register nomination: http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/96000129.pdf Nestled between Huntingtown and Orchard Hill roads on a 25-acre tract of land lies the town-owned Orchard Hill Nature Preserve .... The town acquired the property for $60,000 in 1976 from the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company and assigned management responsibility to the Parks and Recreation Commission .... The Pootatuck River gives the Orchard Hill Nature Center both its character and history. It was on the river that a massive dam and adjoining sawmill were built during the 1760s. The mill relied on the river for its power as it flowed through the deep Pootatuck gully, which is shaded year round by a natural canopy of evergreen trees. Early deeds mention that the dam was used for a sawmill, and by 1800, a mill to manufacture woolen stocking yarn. The original dam deteriorated, and by 1867, a second dam was built for a sawmill. Today, it stands little touched since it was breached around 1900. The impressive structure stands 30 feet high, 125 feet in length, and is made out of granite blocks more than four feet wide. According to town historians, James H. Beers acquired the sawmill in 1867 along with “one turning lathe, two buzz saws, anvil and bellows, grind stone, drill press, lathe, whipsaw, pulleys, waterwheels, and all the fixtures and tolls belonging to a sawmill.” Other leases, according to history, show that the mill was sometimes a carding and grist mill, while one lessee was given the “right of power to grind apples during the season of cidermaking.” Eventually, electricity arrived on the scene and the mill was abandoned, although some of the foundations are still visible. The Bridgeport Hydraulic Company purchased the land in 1915 as part of a watershed acquisition program (Newtown Bee 2000).

Number of Existing Buildings

None

Dates of Construction

n/a

Architect

n/a

Builder

n/a

Building Type

• Archaeological site
• Other: Dam ruins

Architectural Description

For description see National Register nomination: http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/96000129.pdf Buildings date to c. 1760, 1867

Exterior Material(s)

• Stone

Structural System(s)

n/a

Roof Form

n/a

Roof Material

n/a

Power Source

n/a

Condition

n/a

Condition Notes

Archaeological site

Specific Location

Archaeological site individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 1996.

Adjacent To

n/a

Exterior Visible from Public Road?

Yes

Parcel ID / Assessor Record Link

• 36/ 6/ 1 / Link →

Acreage

n/a

Use (Present)

• Other: Archaeological site

Form Completed By

n/a

Date

n/a

Bibliography

1. Bigham, Steve. 7/03/2000. 'Orchard Hill: Newtown's Secret Retreat for Nature Lovers.' Newtown Bee.
2. Howard, Jan. 5/16/2002. 'A Lion's Club Project - Orchard Hill's Natural and Historical Legacy to Newtown.' Newtown Bee.
3. Nichols Satinet Mill Archaeological Site National Register Nomination No. 96000129. National Park Service.