Machinery at the Belknap Mill, which was built in 1823, and was an industrial mainstay downtown until its closure nearly 50 years ago. (Photos by Adam Drapcho/Laconia Daily Sun)By RICK GREEN, LACONIA DAILY SUNLACONIA — Nearly 50 years ago, the Belknap Mill closed, ending an era of local manufacturing and ushering in major changes downtown. For nearly a century, the water powered shafts, belts and pulleys that ran throughout the machinery at the Belknap Mill. River water was no longer needed for such plants, and cheaper labor could be found elsewhere. The Mill todayToday, the Belknap Mill occupies a space in the city’s cultural, rather than industrial, landscape.

Source: Daily Sun February 08, 2018 04:28 UTC