Warrensburg Historical Park

Warrensburg Historical Park. Warrensburg’s Historic Mill District. Timber, water, location..this winning combination sparked development and fortunes of early Warrensburgh., Adirondack forests of hemlock, pine &spruce attracted lumbermen. A meandering Schroon River powered various mills along its banks and transported logs to mills in Warrensburgh and Glens Falls. Warrensburgh's central location in Warren County helped to develop the region's commercial activity. Early entrepreneurs activated a burst of creative endeavor that lasted throughout the 19th century., All manufacturing centered around the Schroon River and its dam north of the Judd Bridge. Sawmills produced lumber; a grist mill ground grain into flour. The tannery not only tanned leather but made leather for shoe soles. The peg mill fashioned shoe pegs for the German army and then made clothespins. Farmers took their freshly shorn wool to the carding mill for cleaning and combing. A potash factory operated to obtain from wood ashes the lye used in making soaps. A paper mill transformed wood pulp into paper. The planing mill planed lumber; the sash and blind mill fabricated window sashes and blinds. Later, factories manufactured quality men's shirts and fashionable shirt waists for ladies. A woolen mill turned out wool, and a pants factory yielded "salt and pepper” heavy woolen trousers and vests that gained fame as Warrensburgh woolens. One mill was transformed into the power house for the trolley line. The town had its own electric company and a telephone and telegraph company., The early 1900's spelled the end of most manufacturing in town, the result of declining natural resources, fires and cheaper methods of production. Of the original mills, the only one that remains is the former D.E. Pasco Grist Mill.