Madrid memories

The Madrid grist mill was torn down in 1959 by John Duryea, who had purchased the mill along with our old stone home. From my last post, you can see that the large grist stones are still piled along the bank of the Grasse River.

Here is a further quote from the essay, "The Madrid Bridge":

"The boys were interested in every step of the process by means of which the wheat or corn left the bins and became flour or corn meal. It was the atmosphere that intrigued me -and the miller. He was a friendly, kindly man, named Smith, and he looked, as I thought, as a miller should ('the Miller of December...') He had a daughter, Cynthia, who married Dakota Jim Fisher, a brother of 'my' Fisher girls."...
"Above the grist mill, the street rose sharply for a short space until it leveled off into the Square around which was the chief business section. On this hill was Nell's father's store where he sold all kinds of the simple kitchen equipment of those days. Some time in the past the shop must have made its own pans and basins because behind the building was a most fascinating pile of spirals or curls of tin with decorative touches of rust along the edges. We girls used to collect these. I have no idea why."
"Next was Ben Jackson's harness shop. Across the street was Cranston's Barbershop. The only one in town. I remember it because both children, a girl and a boy, died from tuberculosis when they were quite young."

Mrs. Keenan's reminiscences are from the years 1877-1889. In 1889, she attended the Potsdam Normal School.

Her essay is such a treasure. I will be sure to share further snippets from it in future posts!