Every week we share a different image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. We shared it slightly cropped to remove the caption and asked viewers to identify the site.
Do you recognize it? What can you tell us about it? What does it look like today? Any memories to share?
This is not actually in Essex, but a neighboring town. According to the caption it is the: “Willsboro Paper Mills of the N.Y. Co. Inc. in the Adirondacks.” It’s right next to the Boquet River I believe.
The mill was recognized by some in the community. See their comments below:
Ann Dickinson: Wadhams?
Dianne Lansing: The mill in Willsboro?
Sam Blanchard: The building with the first stack was the boiler room, the building to the right housed the locomotive, the building to the right of that was the office and lower section was the machine shop, the long building was the finish paper room, the building behind that with the three towers was the the digester building and the building with the large stack was the power house. As a kid , we went all over the mill will it was running, No OSHA back then.
Below is the back side of the postcard and it does have some interesting information to share. Click to enlarge.
The caption on the back reads: “Willsboro Mills of the New York and Pennsylvania Co., Int. Manufacturers of paper pulp. One of the main industries of Willsboro, NY.” We can also see that the postcard was published by Baldwin & Co. of Willsboro—have you ever heard of that company?
It looks like the postcard was mailed as it has a message and stamp, and the postage date appears to read July 9, 1951! Do you know when the mill closed?
Do you have any thoughts to share about this old postcard? Please leave a comment below!
Share Your Essex Artifacts
If you want to share your old photos of Essex (also brochures, postcards, menus, tickets, artifacts, etc.) on the blog please email us at editor [AT] essexonlakechamplain [DOT] com.
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