Wilson Mill Site - Bedford, MA
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 42° 30.065 W 071° 14.775
19T E 315433 N 4707858
The town of Bedford, Massachusetts, has preserved this historic mill site as a small park. There are no picnic or recreational facilities here, but it is worth a stop if you want a little history or just a few moments of serenity.
Waymark Code: WM3836
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 02/24/2008
Views: 23
The Wilson Mill site on Vine Brook is an important historical landmark. Lt. John Wilson built a corn mill on this site in 1685 which then included 30 acres for grinding "corne" with revolving stones.
This business was later carried on by the Gleason and Blodget families. In 1840, a paper mill was established on the site for manufacturing coarse paper. The paper mill was destroyed by fire, but the foundation of the old mill is still clearly visible at the bridge over Vine Brook.
Old Burlington Road (the precursor to Route 62) was laid out as a direct consequence of the mill. During the incorporation of Bedford in 1729, there were extensive negotiations with Billerica to decide whether this important industrial resource would become part of Bedford or remain in Billerica.
The mill pond, created by damming Vine Brook, is one of the few open bodies of water in Bedford and supplements an important wildlife habitat corridor along Route 3 which supports a diverse wildlife population.
Name: Wilson Mill Site
Street Location: Vine Brook
Local Municipality: Bedford
State/Province, etc.: MA
Country: United States
Web Site: [Web Link]
Memorial/Commemoration: Wilson Mill
Picnic Facilities: None
Recreational Facilities:
None
Traditional Geocaches:
There are two, one very close and the other a few minutes walk away but in the same area.
http://coord.info/GC24R4F
http://coord.info/GCJ266
Date Established: Not listed
Monuments/Statues: Not listed
Art (murals/sculpture, etc.): Not listed
Fountains: Not listed
Ponds/Lakes/Streams/Rivers/Beach: Not listed
Special Events: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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