BRADFORD: The early days of Bradford had big business even before oil.

The Era in July of 1925 printed two letters from Bradford High history teacher Luella Harris, who explained the lumber industry pre-dated the oil industry in the Tuna Valley.

“It is generally known that the first industry of this vicinity was the lumber business, but perhaps few realize how extensive it was. A list of some of the sawmills on the lower Tunugnwant and its branches may be of interest. Coming up from the river, they would be reached in the following order:

“Irving’s Mills; A mill at Limestone; Beardsley’s mill, between Limestone and Tuna; The Sherman mill, on the west side of the creek at Tuna; two Webb mills on the east side at Tuna; a mill at Clark’s Crossing; A mill at Nichols Run; Fisher’s mill, later the Douglas Mill in Bradford; Kingsbury Mill at the Mechanic Street bridge; Kennedy’s mill at Kennedy street; DeGolier’s mill at DeGolia; Bradley mills at Foster Brook; Hunt mill at Foster Brook; Kennedy mills at Kendall Creek; Whipple mills at Kendall Creek.

“Irving’s mill turned out 3,000,000 feet of lumber annually; the Kennedy mills probably 2,000,000 feet; and the Webb mills, half a million.

“These were all run by water except the one at Limestone and Kennedy’s mill on Kennedy street, which were run by steam. The water power mills ran nine months a year. The mills at Clark’s Crossing and at DeGolia were combined saw and grist mills. The first stones for grinding grain were brought to the mill at DeGolia and a part of one of them is still in the possession of Mr. S.D. DeGolier of South Bradford.”

More to come.