HEBRON — Marylin Hatch of Scribner’s Mills Preservation, Inc. recently briefed the Hebron Historical Society on the history of Scribner’s Mills in Harrison.

Built in 1847 on the Crooked River the mill was soon after sold to Elijah Scribner. Three generations of his family operated the mill from 1851 to 1962. Besides the usual lumber products of boards, timbers and shingles the mill produced ammunition boxes during the war years and thousands of barrels used for shipment of apples overseas.

In 1958 the Inland Fisheries and Game Dept. informed the mill owner, Jesse Scribner, that state laws required a fishway be constructed at the mill to allow salmon access up stream. The prohibitive cost to the owner to accomplish this resulted in inaction until 1962 when a portion of the dam was removed.

Hatch and her husband have for many years been involved in preserving the mill and are working on obtaining permission for a rock ramp fishway high enough to allow for water wheel power to operate the up-down saw. Hatch said that of the 30 water-powered saw mills left in the U.S. only six are operable and Scribner’s Mill would be the only one with original equipment and on the original location.

As a leader in the mill’s preservation project she has worked tirelessly to continue providing the mill as a working museum for lumber manufacturing and hopes to get it operating as it originally did. The mill could produce products for sale to those involved in restoration of older structures.

The society’s next program will feature Muriel Cummings Randall of Cumberland, describing her childhood memories of Hebron, including Hebron Station, the store in East Hebron now known as Storekeepers. Her parents were early owners of the business. She will share photos and an aunt’s journal. The program will follow a short business meeting, beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the Hebron Town Office. The public is welcome.