Three views of the Henry and Renslow Saw and Grist Mill

These views looking north (top), west (middle) and east (bottom) show the ruins of the Henry and Renslow Saw and Grist Mill, which ceased operation in the early 1880s. This mill was the first of three in Forestville, and the only one that milled flour.

Constructed in 1854 by Joseph Bisby and later sold to Forest Henry and William Renslow, it was equipped with an upright circular saw to produce lumber, lathwork and shingles. In 1855, a gristmill was added, and it was capable of grinding about 20 bushels of wheat into flour every hour. Later descriptions indicate that the water power from an eight-foot-high dam operated two pair (runs) of grinding stones. The mill employed two workers 10 months a year.

This milling enterprise was important to Forestville's early residents for providing two important services. By grinding wheat ground into flour, the mill provided farmers with a market close to home, and logs milled into lumber were quickly built into houses, businesses and other farm buildings.

By the early 1880s, the mill was available for custom work only and was abandoned by 1883. It soon fell into disrepair and a flood washed it away in 1917. Today the only physical evidence of Forestville's first mill are wooden timbers submerged in the river on which the mill once stood.

These three photographic views were most likely taken several months, if not years, apart.The mill was at least partially supported by its original framework of heavy trusses, which enabled the building to sit level but elevated above the river which provided its power. These support beams are clearly evident in the middle picture, although it appears that the supports on the other side of the building had been damaged, causing the building to tilt downward on its west side.

Note the extremely wide first-floor door. It led to a front deck (no longer remaining in the photograph), which was accessible via a five-step staircase. Only the stair-cut of the staircase remains on the right. This wide door and deck enabled customers or mill workers to load a wagon of ground flour and sawn lumber. The middle picture indicates that this was a half-door that separated horizontally in the middle, with the top half showing. The bottom view shows the building in a further state of neglect, with a clear view of the disintegrated supports on the building's west side. Some of the original clapboard siding had come off or become loose.