Wilson Mill Bridge - Bedford, MA
Posted by: silverquill
N 42° 30.065 W 071° 14.775
19T E 315433 N 4707858
This bridge spans Vine Brook near Wilson's Mill, originally built in 1685.
Waymark Code: WM1R4J
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/28/2007
Views: 63
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.
Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Bedford, MA
Road, Highway, Street, etc.: not in use
Water or other terrain spanned: Vine Brook
Architect/Builder: Not listed
Construction Date: Not listed
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