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Bisbee Mill Museum

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Chesterfield, MA
Bisbee Mill Museum

Not just the same old grind!

10/31/2026

At the Bisbee Mill Museum, our grist mill did not have a traditional water wheel. Instead, we have a vertical axis water turbine. This turbine was designed by John B. McCormick and built in Holyoke, Massachusetts. His turbine is about 80% efficient and the same basic design is still in use at hydroelectric plants.
This turbine took water from the canal , through a penstock into the impeller before returning to the river through the tailrace. This turbine ran the gristmill as well as several belt driven pieces of equipment in the museum. Due to a collapse of the canal behind the museum, our turbine is non-operational.

10/23/2026

Shout out to Hilltown Hikers for the wonderful write up on our museum in the Country Journal. It's now online here on the back page.

08/12/2026

Timber harvesting has been a big business at Bisbee’s Mill and cutting lumber has evolved over the years. Construction of the Bisbee Mill has evolved too. As a result, there are several types of lumber finishing present in the construction of the building. The oldest parts of the building show hand hewn adz marks. Other areas show the straight marks of a reciprocating saw while the curved witness marks of a circular saw are plainly visible in other locations.
You can check them out when you visit during our next open house on September 13th!

07/23/2026

07/14/2026

The gristmill at the Bisbee Mill Museum was originally water powered, fed through a 1500-foot canal. The canal is still there and remnants of the wooden diversion dam are still visible. When the mill was in operation, weirs were put in place in the evening and water would collect in the “Upper Pond.” In the morning, the weirs were removed and water would flow down the canal and through the mill. This provided about 12 feet of drop or “head” for the mill which was enough to turn the gristmill and run other equipment. The mill usually shut down or ran reduced hours during times of low water.
No worries about flow now though. We will be running the Grist Mill with our Hercules one-lunger engine on Sunday July 19th. We hope to see you there! Admission is free.

07/05/2026

Our display of military items loaned by townsfolk was a big hit. The Chesterfield Historical Society would like to offer our sincere thank you to everyone who allowed us to display your items.

07/02/2026

When you are attending the Chesterfield Fourth of July Parade, make sure to check out the Chesterfield Historical Society exhibits at the Edwards Museum and the Town Hall.

And while you’re getting your pie and ice cream, don’t forget to pick up a limited-edition Chesterfield Historical Society 75th Anniversary coffee mug!

06/14/2026

This month at the Bisbee Mill Museum, we have questions. We have a pair of wood and metal things and no idea what they were used for. The wooden part is a full dimension 2 by 4 and is 34 inches long. The metal part is 28 inches high. The “wheels” are six inches in diameter. However, there doesn’t appear to be a bearing or bushing in the hub. There is also a block of wood on the bottom (?) near the wheel end.
If you can help us identify them, we would be grateful. If not, well, you should come check them out for yourself. We will be open on July 19th. We hope to see you then. We will also be at the Fourth of July Parade with our pie and ice cream.

04/15/2026

Springtime is finally finding us here at Bisbee’s Mill. The ice is gone, maple sugaring season is over and the spring peepers are doing what they do. We, apparently, have a new neighbor at the museum. He moved in last fall and built a stylish riverside lodge with locally sourced timber. I saw him once in December, but lately he has been as busy as a beaver (literally) trimming the trees for a better view of the museum.

Address

66 East Street
Chesterfield, MA
01012

Website

facebook.com

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