Sawmills and Gristmills
By: Kayla E., Gopi P., Nathan T.
Where were the first mill locations?
What powered the mills?
What types of grain did they grow in Ludlow?
Map of Ludlow, 1794
There were many different mills in Ludlow. Gristmills and sawmills were two of them. Gristmills made grain into flour. The grain that would be ground by the gristmill was barley, corn, rye, oats, and wheat. Sawmills and gristmills were both powered by water. They were used by transferring energy from one source to another by using wheels and gears. Sawmills were used the same way but they cut wood instead. Sawmills were handy because if people needed to make a house they would use a sawmill to cut the wood for their house.
We looked at a map of Ludlow in 1794 that showed where some of the earliest sawmills and grist mills were found. The three major streams that powered both types of mills were Broad Brook, which was located southwest of the Belchertown line, Higher Brook, which was located in the south-western areas, and the Stony Brook, located in the north-west corner. The mill areas were in three different places. One was near Stony Brook, two near Higher Brook, and one at Harris Pond. There were many Gristmills and Sawmills in Ludlow, but unfortunately there are none left.