Hi Jim & All:

Those dates and link to the book are wonderful, Jim. Google Books is a dream. I have been by the Patten museum many times on my way to Baxter State Park, but never stopped in because of the main focus of camping, etc. What are the hours/ season of the museum? I'm headed that way next month. (I could not get the museum's link to load).

As you know, Patten is in the "North Woods," an area that was late in settling when compared to other areas of Maine/ New England. This may explain the lack of a sash mill as they were early-mid 1800s (again, in New England). And as NH points out, we have to keep in mind the Patten info (and all else) is regional (usually New England).

I also am guessing that while Maine's North Woods saw heavy lumbering, it did not see a great deal of "sawing." As you mentioned, the last log drive was in the mid-1970s (in Maine). I have in-laws in Aroostook County and have spent a lot of time in the North Woods. I also have read a lot about the Allagash logging camps. It's my take that much of the timber was floated out of there to be sawn in Bangor, Waterville, etc. Not a lot of folks lived in the north woods, thus sawmills were in little demand. Did you know that a major lake's (Chamberlain's?)outlet was re-routed by the lumber Barons of the day to flow south so it could link up w/ the Penobscot river and thus get more north woods logs to Bangor?


That's interesting about circular sawn lumber that was re-sawn vertically. I'll have to keep an eye out for that... as is the hewn and then sawn purlins you have seen.

All cool stuff.