A little history for those of you that might be new to town or don't remember Peloquin's Saw Mill that was in Mill Hill where the Condos are now. After the fire, I believe Ron & Sandy Parah bought the lot and put a trailer on it for Sandy's parents who lived there for a while. After that not sure who owned the trailer, but it remained there until the condo's were built several years ago:SAW MILL FIRE - APRIL 10, 1949
LOCATED CORNER OF FLETCHER ROAD & BOISSONEAULT ROAD
(A very special thanks to Mildred Warren for letting me borrow these old photos taken in 1949 of the Old Peloquin Saw Mill located in Mill Hill here in Fairfax)
Sawmill, prior to the fire of April 10, 1949
The sawmill, at the time of the fire was owned by Joseph and Janet Peloquin. According to individuals who remembered the fire, Joe & Janet had gone to Boston for the weekend and the fire was discovered late one night by Chet Chandler, a Fairfax Resident, when he was returning from St. Albans. Chet awakened nearby residents, but no one was able to get inside as the doors were all locked. Joe & Janet purchased the Mill from Harry C. & Lucy Bates. The George & Mildred Warren house originally was part of the Mill Property, but on July 27, 1946 was purchased by George & Mildred from Harry & Lucy Bates. Prior to that the Mill was owned by Edgar Shepardson.
View looking East towards Fletcher up Mill Hill after fire
I originally saw an earlier photo showing the many logs stacked on Mill Hill and have often wondered if anyone living in the houses below the hill ever had a concern that these logs might come tumbling down. In talking with several individuals, the story is told that a couple of the truck drivers, George Warren and Elbridge Luthor were doing some logging up in Buck Hollow. They had loaded the old truck quite heavily and on the way up the hill, were not able to keep the front wheels on the ground. They weren't about to unload the truck, so using a little bit of yankee ingenuity, they got the truck turned around and backed all the way up Buck Hill.
Louie Brodeur & Francis Bessette discuss fire after Sunday Morning Mass. You can see the Peloquin house located in the upper left of the photo before it was vastly remodeled
Looking Southward after the fire of April 10, 1949
Another view
View from Mill Hill side
