Industrial Archeologists Find Grist for Historical Mill
DENNIS TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Archeologists digging through knee-deep mud were searching not for prehistoric dinosaur fossils but for common, ordinary sawdust.
For those who practice industrial archeology, a relatively new branch of the science of studying ancient cultures, sawdust and old beams can be the basis of learning about the beginnings of a country.
In this case, the archeologists are unearthing the remains of one of southern New Jersey’s first sawmills, a water-powered relic that could be more than a century old.
Project supervisor Edward Morin said skeptics of industrial archeology projects say “‘You have historical documents--why dig?’ But documents don’t tell everything.”
Gives Another Dimension
“The majority of documents tell about famous men,” he said. “You get a picture of the big guy, the money man, the leading industrialist, but you’re also getting a skewed view of what was actually going on in the shop.”
The sawmill was discovered during a state Department of Transportation road expansion project. After the site was declared eligible for the National Historic Register, the state brought in the experts.
Since starting work in mid-October, Morin said the archeologists have “found out more than we anticipated.”
After clearing away a thick mass of trees and several feet of earth, the team hit a wood floor. After lifting up the planks, they discovered the giant beams supporting the structure extended farther, leading the team to believe there also may have been a grist mill at the site, Morin said.
Some Extra Help
So far, the archeologists can provide only theories on the mill’s development and operation. But unlike prehistoric archeology, industrial archeology can get some help from people still living.
“My grandfather owned the mill,” said Betty Zane Boyd, who provided a photograph taken around 1910 that shows the mill as it once was. “When my father died, I took all the old pictures and put them in our family album.”
After Mrs. Boyd took the photo to the work site, Morin said, “We were doing cartwheels.”
Sometimes, however, local contributions leave more unanswered questions. Thomas Champion stopped by the site last week with an 1856 state geological map of Cape May County.
Morin located the mill’s East Creek Pond, but could not find a designation for the sawmill next to it.
‘Ton of Theories’
“It doesn’t throw me off too much,” Morin said. “There is the possibility that the mill doesn’t date to this period, of course, but then again, they may have missed it.
“Right now we’ve got about a ton of theories.”
One of the most-accepted theories is that the mill first served a growing population, then grew to accommodate the nearby shipbuilding industry along the coast, Morin said.
Exploring the origin of sawmills also can be a lesson on geography.
Pointing to various ponds on a Cape May County map, Morin said: “You can pretty much bet these are man-made, all because of the mill sites. They would divert and dam up creeks.”
In the 1930s, Morin learned, Dennis Township officials tore the structure down because it was a hazard, and its machinery went to a salvager.
For all the mysteries of the mill site, Morin said, there are valid reasons for studying it.
“They were the first industries started. They’re sort of a measuring stick of a settlement,” he said. “You would only see a mill like this when you would have a sufficient number of people in a region who would have to use the resources.”
