Manchester’s own ‘Unsolved Mystery’

The Manchester Mill (Mirror file photo)

by Marsha Chartrand

When you purchase an historic building in a small town like Manchester, you want to know what’s gone on there in the past.

And so it was when Dawn Donnelly bought “The Mill,” the largest and most prominent landmark in downtown Manchester, a few years ago.

Donnelly’s long-term dream for the building was to turn it into a luxury-event facility, which she has nearly completed. One component of the building is a small apartment for the use of the bride and groom or other facility renters. She would like to have a small booklet of the history of the Manchester Mill for those who are interested. A few weeks ago, a small Facebook post hoped to fill in a portion of that history — what happened to the grindstones that used the waterpower to grind the grains when it was a commercially operating mill?

Through word of mouth, Donnelly had heard that the stones may have been placed out in front of the mill by a former owner for the taking. She asked if anyone had knowledge of their whereabouts, that they contact her with information. No one has yet come forward, and she hopes it has not been scrapped due to its historical value.

She did, however, hear from former owner Ron Mann, who explained that there were not actually millstones used in the current, rebuilt mill that was placed on the foundation of the original mill on the site. He stated that the “Southern Washtenaw Flowering Mill” was a large flour mill designed with five water turbines built by James Leffel & Co. of Springfield, Ohio. That company is still in business today!

Mann added that when the Main Street bridge was rebuilt in the early 1970s, his family pulled one of the turbines out of the water room and it was on display along the Adrian Street side of mill. He said it has since apparently been sold by a subsequent owner.

Donnelly still would be interested to hear from the purchaser of the turbine as she’d love to have it restored to its original location. She can be contacted via Facebook.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.