Water Power Sawmill From The Past!

[Ben Framed]

This is one way they use to do it! 

https://youtube.com/shorts/m2ycr0goJ48?si=bicD3JG--Dr0m0n7

[Michael Bush]

There used to be one in my backyard...

[Ben Framed]

That is neat. It seems I vaguely remember you mentioning this before, in your description of your place. Was it still there when you acquired the place? If so was it operable?

Phillip

[Michael Bush]

It was long gone when I moved in.  You could still see the stones from the foundation of the dam, but after the last two floods they are hard to spot now.  Mr. Pollard started building the house in 1856.  He had to make the bricks and burn them.  He had to slake the lime for the mortar.  And he had to cut the wood.  So he brought in a sawmill, built a dam and cut wood for himself and others until a flood washed it out.  He rebuilt it and it washed out again.  He gave it up after that.

[Ben Framed]

Now that is resourceful. Mr Pollard must have been quiet a man. Certainly a man of vision and the quality of his resourced materials as well as workmanship speaks for itself as the home is still standing! I have seen pictures of your home before on your post. Very nice Mr Bush.

Phillip

[Michael Bush]

Isaac Pollard at the time he moved to Nebraska in 1956 he was 28 years old.  He was a farm kid who went to the gold fields in California in 1849 and worked very hard for 7 years.  He was a hard worker and he was very motivated.  After a few years here in Nebraska, he went back to Vermont to find a wife (no women here in Nebraska yet).  He was introduced to his future wife and three weeks later they were married and stayed that way the rest of their lives.