Downstown Steam Mill

[lakesgirl]

While doing some research on some historical spots near home I found a notation about Aquilla Down(s) building and opperating a steam powered saw mill at Downstown (named for him). Does anybody have any information about the mill and where it was located. The article mentioned it being on the road to Forest Grove. Article was dated 1907.

thanks
Joyce

 

[Spung-Man]

Lakesgirl,

The steam-powered sawmill was built by Pancoast, not Downs. See November 16, November 23, November 30, and December 7 sections in Valley Ventura excerpts at the West Jersey History Project site:

http://www.westjerseyhistory.org/docs/valleyventura/index.shtml

I've scanned the Downstown portion of the 1872 F.W. Beers Atlantic County Atlas, which indicates that the sawmill complex was a fairly substantial operation. The mill itself was located on the southwest corner of Harding Highway (US Route 40) and Brewster Road (red arrow). The map was difficult to scan so my apologies for its poor quality. Click on it to expand. Also note the house (yellow arrow) at the corner of Brewster and Weymouth Roads (Willow Grove Road), which somebody inquired about in an earlier post as having been relocated.



Cheers,
Spung-Man

 

[lakesgirl]

thanks! you are correct about it being Pancoast. My head was full of names from the various articles I was reading and the logical one came to mind while inquiring. thanks again for the help.

The Valley Ventura is interesting reading.