Welcome to Chase’s Mill!
Step back in time and explore historic Chase’s Mill, one of New Hampshire’s last operating water-powered mills. Come see the power of water as it turns into mechanical and electrical energy, or attend one of our many woodworking classes, classes in arts and handcrafts, family and social events, lectures, and local walking tours.
Latest News
Happy Spring!
Here at Chase’s Mill we are springing into action to launch the 2026 programs. The theme this year is Connecting Through Craft.
As we head into this new season, I would like to pull back the curtain on how Chase’s Mill functions. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we are run by volunteers connected to the Mill through a love of local history, water power, craft, or the vibrant community spirit we are cultivating here.
In case you missed Gail Golec’s lecture on divorce in the 1800s, here is a video of her presentation.
In May, Bob Brown spoke with Luca Paris, CEO of Greater Monadnock Collaborative, on his MonadTalk podcast. You’ll be amazed at how much history – Chase's Mill, Mill Hollow, New Hampshire, New England, the arc of human progress – Bob can cover in under 25 minutes.
The N.H. Preservation Alliance is pleased to announce our 2022 Preservation Achievement Award winner, the Mill Hollow Heritage Association, for the revitalization and rehabilitation of Chase’s Mill in Alstead.
Helen Frink is an author, historian, and Mill Hollow Heritage Association board member. Her article about Chase’s Mill, “Century-Old N.H. Mill Returns to Life” is included in the Spring 2020 Society for Industrial Archeology newsletter.
“ALSTEAD - A group turning a historical mill into an interactive museum has been awarded two grants totaling more than $87,000. The nonprofit Mill Hollow Heritage Association said in a news release Monday that it will receive $78,622 from the federal Northern Border Regional Commission - as part of an economic development program administered by the N.H. Preservation Alliance - and $8,600 from the Putnam Foundation.” Read more…
Efforts to revitalize three historic buildings and their communities in Colebrook, Alstead and Lancaster, New Hampshire will get boost thanks to grants awarded this month by the N.H. Preservation Alliance. “While our families’ and communities’ health is of paramount importance right now,” said Jennifer Goodman, executive director of the N.H. Preservation Alliance, “we’re pleased to offer this good news of investment in our workforce and in anchors of our communities that will have wonderful short and long-term benefits.” The grant funds are made possible by an award to the N.H. Preservation Alliance along with the Preservation Trust of Vermont, Maine Preservation and the Preservation League of New York State from the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC). Read more…
ALSTEAD - Speeding around a corner of Camp Brook Road in Alstead, passing motorists fly over a bridge they may not even notice, past an old building sporting a newly painted sign. But below that bridge runs a swift and noisy stream, once the lifeblood of a community. This place was called Mill Hollow because it boasted five mills at one time, all clustered along the ravine where Warren Brook tumbles downhill, and this old building is the last mill standing. Read more…
ALSTEAD - Dec. 14, 2018 -- New Hampshire’s Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) has awarded the Mill Hollow Heritage Association (MHHA) a $150,000 matching grant to support its rehabilitation of Chase’s Mill, according to Sharon Spaulding, President of MHHA.
ALSTEAD, NH - Aug. 17, 2018 - Mark Bodin, President, Savings Bank of Walpole, today announced the Bank has awarded a $2,500 grant to be used towards the renovation of the waterworks at Chase's Mill. According to Mr. Bodin, "Savings Bank of Walpole is happy to support Chase's Mill renovations. Bringing this building back to life will not only preserve the historical heritage of the structure but will also help provide an educational component for the community to share with the next generation."
By William Holt Sentinel Staff
April 21, 2018
ALSTEAD - Perched on the edge on Warren Brook, near the junction of Route 123 and Pine Cliff Road, Chase’s Mill is one of only nine water-powered woodworking mills left in New Hampshire. Parts of its stone foundation date back more than 250 years, making it older than the country it occupies. In July 2016, Chase’s Mill was named to the N.H. State Register of Historic Places. But unlike many other sites on that list, it won’t stay dormant for long.
Vermont Journal
Alstead, NH - July 20, 2017
The Mill Hollow Heritage Association (MHHA) announced it has received a $25,000 grant from the New York City based Bay and Paul Foundation and a $10,000 grant from the Samuel P. Hunt Foundation of Manchester, NH, towards the rehabilitation of the historic Chase's Mill, according to Sharon Spaulding, president of MHHA.
The New Hampshire Land Heritage and Community Investment Program (LCHIP) earlier this month announced it has awarded a $100,000 matching grant to Alstead's Mill Hollow Heritage Association (MHHA), according to Sharon Spaulding, president of MHHA. In celebrating the award in Concord on Dec. 8th, Gov. Maggie Hassan observed, "The Land and Community Heritage Investment Program is critical to protecting our natural, historical and cultural resources, and I am proud that we restored funding for LCHIP in 2013 and maintained that commitment in our current bipartisan budget.
Vermont Journal
Alstead, NH - Oct. 28, 2016 - East Alstead’s Chase’s Mill has been purchased by the non-profit Mill Hollow Heritage Association (MHHA) from its former owners, Mowlot Kazati and Kate Tarlow Morgan, according to Sharon Spaulding, president of MHHA. “MHHA was founded in 2012 to purchase and renovate the Mill and then open it to the community as both a seasonal museum and as a makerspace / workshop,” said Ms. Spaulding.
ALSTEAD - Chase’s Mill in town has been added to the N.H. State Register of Historic Places.
We are pleased to announce the receipt of a $1,250 grant from the Rick and Duffy Monahon Fund of the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, for the specific purpose of providing a building assessment with preservation guidelines for the mill. From the Preservation Alliance: "The Mill Hollow Heritage Association has good forward momentum but needs the boost of a professional assessment grant to help them prepare for a campaign that will complete important preservation repairs and allow the public to use this building.”
By Marilou Blaine Alstead Historical Society
January 17, 2012
ALSTEAD - The peak of water-powered mills, both in Alstead and the state, was between 1810 and 1820. New Hampshire’s population of 244,161 was served by 697 gristmills, 964 sawmills, 262 fulling mills and 251 carding machines.
By NICOLE S. COLSON
Record Staff
November 12, 2009
ALSTEAD - The Chase Mill was the first. And it is now the last — the last mill standing in town — which is why the couple who own the building are working to preserve it as a centerpiece of New Hampshire history.
Visit Chase’s Mill
Located at 801 Forest Road, Alstead, NH
From Memorial Day weekend through Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, we are open on weekends for tours from 10 a.m. to noon. From mid-June through September, we offer woodworking and craft workshops, as well as lectures of local interest.
Take a Class
Chase’s Mill serves as a workshop for hands-on learning and a community gathering space. Our water-powered mill embodies the history of small-town industry, celebrating New England’s vibrant past while inspiring the future of sustainable power and rural technology.
Drop in any Thursday evening for an informal paper craft time. No need to buy anything - dig through your craft drawer and bring what you have or go through our bin of papers. We'll have scissors, glue, rulers and a well-lit space. Each week we'll have instruction/ guidance in a different paper art. Follow along or do your own thing! This is a time to share ideas and creative energy!
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Get Motivated by the Grit of Groundbreaking Women! Using stories from Women Make History: Fifty-Three Stories of Courage, Strength & Resilience, "Wonder Women Bingo" is a fun way to celebrate and learn about unsung women of American history. Your Bingo card will feature trailblazing pioneers from the colonial era through the end of the 20th century. Test your knowledge, reclaim our role models, and get inspired while winning prizes and honoring the women on whose shoulders we stand! Note: Purchase a book in advance and bring it to the event to be entered in a special raffle! Books are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Toadstool in Keene, or Village Square Booksellers in Bellows Falls. They will also be available at the event!
Mosaic making is a splendid, versatile art form with endless creative possibilities. In this introduction to mosaics class, you will be designing and making your own stepping stone for use in your garden or home. You will learn the basics of mosaic art: designing, cutting tile, and grouting your work to complete your piece. By the end of this class you will have acquired the skills to continue to craft your own projects at home.
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Mosaic making is a splendid, versatile art form with endless creative possibilities. In this introduction to mosaics class, you will be designing and making your own stepping stone for use in your garden or home. You will learn the basics of mosaic art: designing, cutting tile, and grouting your work to complete your piece. By the end of this class you will have acquired the skills to continue to craft your own projects at home.
Drop in any Thursday evening for an informal paper craft time. No need to buy anything - dig through your craft drawer and bring what you have or go through our bin of papers. We'll have scissors, glue, rulers and a well-lit space. Each week we'll have instruction/ guidance in a different paper art. Follow along or do your own thing! This is a time to share ideas and creative energy!
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Using hand and power tools we will construct stools that magically slide together. They can be easily taken apart for storage if desired.
We will be using the chop saw, router, band saw, table saw, jig saw, and hand tools. This is a beginner level class.
Writing a poem about a favorite image or object, whether a painting, a photograph or crafted object (also know as ekphrastic poetry) is an enjoyable way to explore subjects that are meaningful to us. In this session we will look at and discuss examples of poems based on visual images, and spend time working on poems of our own. You can bring an object to inspire you, or use one of the images available at the workshop.
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Drop in any Thursday evening for an informal paper craft time. No need to buy anything - dig through your craft drawer and bring what you have or go through our bin of papers. We'll have scissors, glue, rulers and a well-lit space. Each week we'll have instruction/ guidance in a different paper art. Follow along or do your own thing! This is a time to share ideas and creative energy!
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
You are invited to drop by this informal social gathering at Chase’s Mill. There will be coffee, tea, and some baked goods to enjoy. Mill around and chat with your neighbors. We encourage you to bring your favorite coffee cup.
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Weave a small basket using materials from the Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra). Black ash is an amazing tree that grows in the Northeast and has been traditionally used for basket making for generations. Its growth rings separate easily when pounded, creating strong, flexible splints that are perfect for weaving. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn the basics of black ash basket weaving techniques and create your own piece. Everyone will leave with a finished basket approximately 4" × 4".
Drop in any Thursday evening for an informal paper craft time. No need to buy anything - dig through your craft drawer and bring what you have or go through our bin of papers. We'll have scissors, glue, rulers and a well-lit space. Each week we'll have instruction/ guidance in a different paper art. Follow along or do your own thing! This is a time to share ideas and creative energy!
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
If you have attended a wood shop class at Chase's Mill, you may drop in to use our tools and equipment during open shop time - Thursdays 6pm-8pm and Sundays 9am-noon from June 18 through August 27. Sunday, July 5 the shop will be closed.
Let's take a hike through the beautiful forested trails on Kroka's land. We will walk the grassy brook trail exploring beaver activity, animal tracks, the mossy landscape and the remnants of glacial movements through the area. The hike will be approximately 2 miles long. The well established single tracked paths follow the terrain of the landscape.
Hefty sneakers or hiking boots are recommended for walking gear. There can be muddy places if there's been rainfall.
We'll park and meet at the Kroka Trailhead parking, 767 NH Rte 123, Marlow, NH
Bring water and a snack. Optional: hiking poles
In this class we will make beeswax candles to be enjoyed during the darker days of winter. These candles are made using Japanese Knotweed as a mold and Dogbane cordage for the wicks. These candles are special because they are made using local plants and provide a unique way to utilize invasive knotweed. You will learn how to make reverse wrap cordage from dogbane fibers, learn the process of making candles using knotweed stalk segments as molds, and learn a bit about the natural history of both plants involved. Everyone will go home with at least two candles!
Explore Our History
Since 1767, there has been a mill at the mouth of Lake Warren in Alstead, New Hampshire. Over the years these mills provided lumber for building, grain for food, and economic opportunity through manufacturing. Today, Chase’s Mill is a living museum and one of only nine operable water-powered mills left in New Hampshire.
May 2026 Walpole Clarion “A Treasure Next Door” by Ray Boas