DERRY — He's a milling man.
He works among the wood shavings and oversees one of the area's most historic areas.
Robert Spoerl takes pride in his job as caretaker of the historic Taylor Sawmill, spending time showing the public just how wood was cut centuries ago.
The Taylor Sawmill historic site on Island Pond in Derry, is a 200-year-old "up and down" sawmill now open to the public for sawing demonstrations throughout the summer. It offers a glimpse of how the state's forestry products industry operated generations ago.
Spoerl took on the caretaker position in 2001 and lives in a neighboring home. He looks after the mill and its operation. He said he hopes to help the site continue as a viable lesson in New Hampshire history for many years. The scenery is a bonus.
"We don't complain too much," he said.
The mill sits on the pristine, 71-acre, state-owned Ballard State Forest, close to passing traffic traveling Island Pond Road. But it's set apart by its calming waters, surrounding greenery and historical integrity, thanks to Spoerl's watchful eye.
Named for Derry resident Robert Taylor, the mill was purchased around 1799 and began operating as an up-and-down sawmill in 1805. This type of mill became a New England staple from the 17th century up through the 19th century.
When Ernest Ballard bought the original mill and land in 1930, the only remnant of the original Taylor operation was the stone foundation. Ballard began the task of rebuilding and restoring the mill, and searched for another up-and-down-style sawmill to place at the property.
The entire property, including the mill, the nearby house and the 71 acres of land, were eventually donated to the state of New Hampshire in 1953 by Ballard and now the site is open to the public as a working history lesson.
Last Saturday, Spoerl and his son Edward offered demonstrations to mill visitors. The work that day included cutting wood to help a local Eagle Scout with a project to build community benches for a park.
Spoerl sat inside the mill structure and pointed out the hand-hewn beams. The aroma of fresh cut wood filled the building and the sound of rushing water over nearby rocks could be heard outside a window.
On a sunny, warm summer day, he said 20 or more people may stop by the mill site for a quick lesson before heading farther into the forest for a kayak ride or walk along the trail.
"It's a popular spot for fishing," Spoerl said, "and fantastic for wildlife. We have blue heron, osprey, wood ducks, snapping turtles, everything that comes in a marsh."
Being caretaker to such a gem is a blessing, Spoerl said, and it's fun to boot. He said it's also a lot of work, doing the research and learning as much as he can about the way the sawmill operated so long ago and making sure he knows all he can about its past.
"We're always trying new things," he said. "We have to think it through and figure it out."
Spoerl invited anyone wishing to learn more about the sawmill's history in Derry to stop by this summer.
"This is a jewel of the state," he said.
The mill will be open for public demonstrations on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month through Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For additional information on the Taylor Sawmill, call the Urban Forestry Center at 431-6774.
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