Hanford Mills

A mill site since 1846, for most of its commercial life Hanford Mills was owned and operated by the family of David Josiah Hanford, who purchased the mill in 1860.

Under the Hanfords, the mill grew into a "rural industrial complex" that included a sawmill, gristmill, feed mill, woodworking shop and hardware store.

In 1898, Hanford Mills harnessed the waters of Kortright Creek to provide the town with its first electricity. Through time, the Hanfords also used steam and gasoline engines to power the mill and its electric dynamo.

The mill closed in 1967, re-opening later that year as a museum. In 1973 Hanford Mills Museum was chartered by the State of New York. Its significance as one of the last 19th century mills to survive intact earned it a place on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.

Hanford Mills Museum's mission is to be a leading interpreter of the evolution of power generation and technology and how it contributed to the unsettling of rural America. The Museum is dedicated to:

preserving and presenting the mill site.
understanding how the Hanford and Pizza families adapted their business operations to respond to changes in technology, markets, and transportation.
illustrating how these activities affected the community.
The Museum's primary responsibilities are:

the thoughtful preservation, restoration, and operation of the Mill and its collections.
accurate collection, research, and documentation of the Mill and its community.
the creative interpretation and presentation of the Mill site and its community.
the effective communication to and involvement of its stakeholders.

The Mill's authentic and extensively documented site infuses the Museum's unique interpretation and activities with realism. The Museum believes that the operation of the Mill site is a powerful experience that can be balanced with careful preservation. There are valuable lessons to be learned from those who live in agrarian communities. The complex historic layers of Hanford Mills present many different stories, perspectives and experiences. By bringing to life historic choices and processes, Hanford Mills can offer insights about the past and inspire thoughtful and creative decision making. Hanford Mills generates powerful messages about the effect of technological changes on community life, especially the impact of energy and technology on agrarian communities. The Museum presents unique explorations of technological innovation, for example, how processes change even as products and services remain the same.