Vermont Historical Society Photos

The Vermont Historical Society acquired several wonderful cabinet photos of the Passumpsic mill in 2018 from a descendant of Frank Mason, the miller. The Society scanned them and I did some restoration work.

Exterior view of the recently rebuilt mill. The original was damaged and while I'm overall pleased with my restoration, I left the chimney too short.
Exterior view of the mill from a vantage point downstream on the Passumpsic River.
A rare interior photo of the new mill. Frank Mason is seated as if dressing a millstone, and goofing around with the hoist. I believe that Elmore Ide is standing behind him.
A wood-fired Passumpsic Railroad engine at the side.
Railcars being loaded at the siding. This view clearly shows the flume that provided water power to the mill. E.T. wrote in 1888: "The year before our mill burned in 1883 we had put in a new flume, of 4 and 6 inch plank, and attached to it were four iron water wheels. Also we had a place prepared and new race-way built for another and larger wheel which we have never utilized, but in which a water wheel could be 'set' in two days time. The flume rests on the solid rock, as does the mill. When the mill was burned it left our new flume and wheels uninjured comparatively."
Francis "Frank" Mason. William Adams Ide described him in Recollections: "He and Father were as unlike as two men could possibly be, and, at times, he was a great trial to Father. But, with it all, there was a strong and enduring friendship and complete understanding between them. For all of his life, Father took things from Frank that he would have taken from no other man, and he was not even ruffled by it. Frank could get away with most anything, but he was a wise man, going only to the limit and no further."

The set of photos included the three below that were in poor condition or of lesser interest.

Frank Mason (left) outside the mill.
A view of the mill showing the Fiber Leather Board plant under construction to the left.
The Ide home and the mill.

In 2018, the Vermont Historical Society acquired several cabinet card photographs from a descendant of Francis "Frank" Mason.

Published 1/18/2021