The Ruined Mill

This sprawling, three–story structure, as much as thirty feet wide at some points and nearly eighty feet long, lies alongside the Fox River, a burned out ruin surrounded by rubble and tall scrub. The wooden walls, charred by the fire, still stand but are collapsing. Little remains of the roof, burned away in the fire, and the interior has been left exposed to the ravages of rain and the cold New England winters. The great water wheel, broken off at the shaft, lies motionless and rotting in the water. The concrete dam, however, is still intact, water spilling over the edge. The dam can be used to cross the river, but the water running over the dam’s slippery top edge can be dangerous. The water is only chest deep, and there is little or no chance of drowning. If one were to fall the other way, it is a six–foot drop to the rocky riverbed which at this time of the year is covered by less than a foot of water.   All the doors of the building are boarded up, and several weathered and fading “No Trespassing” signs are nailed to the outside walls, hoping to keep children from exploring the place and possibly injuring themselves. The boarded doors present little obstacle to anyone determined to gain entry. While a crowbar may be required for the doors located on the east and west ends of the building, the boards on the main double doors on the north side of the building are so weathered they can be pulled loose by hand.