Friday, March 16, 2007

"Graveyard Shift" Mill Sold!

Those who shivered through Stephen King's movie of "Graveyard Shift," and then ran across the mill itself while driving Maine's back town roads, may be interested to note that the mill used in the filming has been sold. I found this story on the not-local but very stylish and informative Haunted Vampire blog at hauntedvampire.com:
186-year-old mill sold
By Morning Sentinel Staff Report
March 15, 2007 04:41 PM

HARMONY, Maine (AP) — A 186-year-old woolen mill that was used as a setting in Stephen King’s movie “Graveyard Shift” has a new owner.

Bartlettyarns Inc. was sold by Russell Pierce of Brunswick to Susan and Lindsey Rice of Barrington, N.H., who were customers of the company. The sales price was not disclosed.

The mill, which was founded in 1821 on the banks of Higgins Stream in this Somerset County town, is believed to be the oldest continuously operating yarn mill in the U.S.

Pierce said Bartlettyarns specializes in wool hand-knitting yarns and is best known for its Fisherman-brand yarns. Much of the yarn is spun on machines that are more than 100 years old, Pierce said. The newest yarn-spinning machine was purchased in 1948.

“I’m very pleased to see that a company with the history Bartlettyarns Inc. has is going to end up with owners who really have the dedication to continue the company and to nourish and flourish the company,” Pierce said.
[Original Source at Morning Sentinel website]
Italics are my own. Holy moley! Back when they knew how to make machines...

According to Wikipedia, "The movie was filmed in Harmony, Maine (outside shots) at Bartlett Yarns Inc. (historic functioning yarn mill) and Corinna, Maine (mill shots). The mill subsequently became a Superfund site."

2 comments:

Carnacki said...

Thanks for the kind words regarding The Mystery of the Haunted Vampire site.

Michelle Souliere said...

Dear Carnacki-- You are very welcome. Thanks for running such an interesting site!