Hanford Mills Museum operates an authentic water- and steam-powered historic site, which includes a sawmill, gristmill and woodworking shop. The mission of Hanford Mills Museum is to inspire audiences of all ages to explore connections among energy, technology, natural resources and entrepreneurship in rural communities with a focus on sustainable choices. The museum, which is listed on the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places, is open Wednesdays-Sundays, May 15-November 15 and for special events, like the Ice Harvest Festival on the first Saturday in February.
Visitors can take a guided tour and see water-powered machines operating just as they did a century ago. The Museum's 70-acre site also features the John Hanford Farmhouse, which recreates home life in the 1920s. Also on view is the exhibit, "Rural Genius: Innovation, Invention, and Ingenuity in the Mill’s Community."
Festivals at Hanford Mills Museum include the Independence Day Celebration on July 4, the Antique Engine Jamboree & Powerfest in September and the Woodsmen's Festival in October. The Museum also offers Free Family Saturdays on select dates. See website hanfordmills.org for details.
Children 12 and under and Museum members receive free admission. Admission for adults and teens is $9, seniors, $7. AAA and other discounts available.
Guided tours feature the 1926 Fitz overshot waterwheel.
The sawmill at Hanford Mills Museum
Circa 1895 photo of Hanford Mills.
Hanford Mills in Fall
The Ice Harvest Festival is held each year on the first Saturday in February. Celebrate the region's "coolest" tradition!
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