Leonard Mills - wow!

Wow!  This place is just across the river?

Our good friends the Smiths let us know about the Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley, ME [Facebork]. They had said it was not to miss.  Oh wow, were they ever right. Just start with exhibit A, here:

That's a old water mill.  But it works.  It cut's logs.  With water power.  It's amazing and gorgeous.  (video coming). Then there is this beauty here.  This is a Lombard Log Hauler.  A cross between a tank and a snowmobile and a steam-powered locomotive, this thing is 90hp, and quite a sight.  This will probably be as close as I get to steam-punk heaven, but it is waa-aa-aaaay closer than I ever expected! (video coming there too!)

 The Lombard has a train whistle which can kill a man at 50 paces.  Hence the kids' response:

Reid helped saw some logs with a vertical 2-man saw:

 We watched this man bake an apple pie.  See it there?  It's in the pot with the coals on top. He may change the coals once.

 We were enthralled, as always, by the blacksmith.

 And by our friends the Smiths, Michell, Alasdair and Jeremy, by name:

 Liam threw a tomahawk, and with help suck it into this old stump.

 Alasdair looked on while Liam worked the shuttle and the treadles of a beautiful old loom under the skillful guidance of an expert weaver.

 A spinning wheel.  Out of the picture: a harp, also in active use.

 A carriage ride pulled by spotted draft horses.

 Reid and Daddy.

 The covered bridge.

Not pictured: the civil war encampment and actors, the candle making the cider making, the shingle making, the various houses, the bean hole beans, the biscuits, the inside of the mill, the homestead, the trappers encampment, the forester's house, the other buildings, and on and on...