The Ashland Gristmill and Dam are a historic former industrial facility in the heart of
Ashland, New Hampshire
Ashland is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 1,938 at the 2020 census, down from 2,076 at the 2010 census.United States Census BureauAmerican FactFinder 2010 Census figures. Retrieved March 23, 2011. Loca ...
. Built in 1903 on the site of an older mill, the gristmill demonstrates the continuing viability of wood framing for mill buildings in an era when it had become uncommon. The property was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
in 1979.
It has been converted to professional offices.
Description and history
The former Ashland Gristmill is located near the eastern end of downtown Ashland, where Main Street (
New Hampshire Route 132
New Hampshire Route 132 (abbreviated NH 132) is a north–south highway in Belknap and Merrimack counties in central New Hampshire. NH 132 runs from Concord north to Ashland in the Lakes Region, parallel to Interstate 93.
The southern terminu ...
) crosses the
Squam River
The Squam River is a river located in central New Hampshire in the United States. The river is the outlet of Squam Lake, the second-largest lake in New Hampshire, and it is a tributary of the Pemigewasset River, which itself is a tributary of the ...
. The mill stands just north of the road, with the dam extending further north across the river. The dam, originally a wooden construction, is a concrete structure long and high, and has a spillway. The mill is a large three-story structure, consisting of a central tower section with flanking two-story wings. The tower section is built using massive timbers for framing, while the wings are built using the more recent
balloon framing
Framing, in construction, is the fitting together of pieces to give a structure support and shape. Framing materials are usually wood, engineered wood, or structural steel. The alternative to framed construction is generally called ''mass wal ...
method. Its basement still houses the turbine and controlling hardware, although these are no longer operational.
The mill was built in 1903, after the previous gristmill on the site was destroyed by fire. The central portion originally housed nine large hoppers, while the wings housed storage spaces for maintenance equipment and milled flour. The heavy timber framing was necessitated to help manage vibrations and stresses incurred by the operating machinery of the mill.
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See also
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References
{{NRHP in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hampshire
Dams completed in 1903
Buildings and structures in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in New Hampshire
National Register of Historic Places in Grafton County, New Hampshire
Ashland, New Hampshire