Hanford Mills Museum is the only operational water-powered sawmill, gristmill and woodworking factory remaining in the Catskill Mountain region. Jonathan B. Parris built the original sawmill in 1846.

This sawmill went through five owners in quick succession until D. J. Hanford purchased it in 1860. Hanford added a gristmill in 1869 and his first specialty woodworking machine in 1876.

As the mill became a year-round business, the Hanfords continued to add machinery, creating a rural industrial complex. They produced lumber, feed, barrel heads, broom and tool handles, butter tub covers, and milk crates.

When Hanford died in 1899, and his sons, Horace and Will, took over the mill business; a third son, John, took over his father's farm. Horace Hanford sold the mill in 1945 to three employees, Mike, Frank, and Joe Pizza. The office and full length of the two story addition were added about the 1900's.

They continued operating the business until 1967. In that year, the buildings were purchased and the private museum opened. The museum was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1973. The office section projects beyond the left front face of the mill.

Adjoining the Hanford Mills Museum site is John Hanford's farmhouse. This house, built in 1909, replaced D. J. Hanford's older home, which stood in the same location.

A Munson portable gristmill is visible to left of center of the photo, behind the scale. The mill is hoping to get the Munson mill operational soon.

This last circular saw for cutting logs into boards was installed in 1945 by the Hanfords.

Logs on the log carriage, waiting to be transported to the circular saw.

The Mickle Tub cover cutting machines. The rear machine cut the round butter tub tops. With the two machines in this pic they make the tub tops. They take two rectangular boards, in the background, and make a tub top in less than 1 minute.

The Sprout-Waldron Attrition Mill.

A Chase Shingle Mill- with 40" saw blade. The mill was purchased in 1889 by D.J.(David Josiah) Hanford. Described on the website in the Summer newsletter 1999.

The horse barn at the mill has stable room for two horses. The white barn down near Cr 12 had room for more.

The 1926 Fitz waterwheel in motion. This was the power source for the mill, when the turbine power gave over to the waterwheel.

A line shaft with a pulley/flywheel arrangement located on the shaft. The counterweighted pulley would ensure a smoother turning of the RPMs.

Flywheel pulley having Lignum vitae sleeves replaced.

A Monitor Dustless Receiving Separator, manufactured by Huxtley, Cranson & Hammond of Silver Creek, New York.

The first automatic flushing toilet. Actually, it is located exactly over the millrace. Needless to say, probanly not used anymore with todays clean water regulations and OSHA rules.

The feed mill that was built in the 1930's to replace the grist mill portion formerly located in thwe original mill structure.

1946 Ford stakebed truck at the Pizza Bros. Hardware Store. The feed and hardware store was formerly the freight depot for the mill and for the community of Meredith.

Lumber shed located on a triangle point with the mill and the horse barn.

A final farewell across the millpond fed by Kortright Creek, looking toward most of the milling complex.