contact: Nick Santorineos
Union Flour Mill, also called the Bessey Grist Mill, was located on the east side of the St. George River at Fossett's Bridge. In 1930 it became Matthews and Sons for truck body building. Mervin Merrill used the building for a blacksmith shop up until the 1980's. The mill building is still standing and is for sale. It needs some work and would make a lovely studio or small restaurant; it is located between the Union fair Grounds and the village Common.
The mill in East Union village was originally built in 1797 by John Lermond to saw lumber. In 1898 this became the Dornan Mill where cemetery monuments were cut and carved. The water power is still used to make products at the mill, now called Morgan's Mill; these ground specialty grains are sold wholesale. Local children still swim in the mill pond.
The Piper Packing Company processed corn in 1887; it burned in 1890. It was located on the west side of the St. George River at Fossett's Bridge.
Fossett's Bridge crosses the St. George River below Sennebec Pond and above Round Pond, near the village center of Union. Various mills were located in this area. The building on the right in the photo was known by several names including the Batchelder Mill, the Bessey Grist Mill and blacksmith shop. The Wingate and Simmons Carriage Company had saw mill on the river, which is seen at the left in the photo.
If you are interested in obtaining info on these photos and copies of additional images of Union, please let us know at the Union Historical Society. If you have additional information about these images we'd like to have it. We also seek copies of images of Union. Please contact us via email.
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contact: Nick Santorineos
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