LEE'S MILL
Lee's Pond, often called Lower Pond in the old days, takes its name from David Lee. David Lee was the original builder and proprietor of Lee's Mill which, in the late 1700s, was located in the narrow strip of land between the Pond and Lake Winnepesaukee to the south. Other mills operated from time to time to the north at Moultonborough Falls on Route 25. Berry Pond was commonly used to store water for the mills' operations.
Around 1900, Lee's Mill was one of the town's major industries. The dam above the mill was probably four foot higher than it stands now. The mill had two six foot waterwheels to power its saws, a shingle mill, coopers shop, two stave machines and a planer. Seventy-five people were employed. Old timers describe Lee's Mill Bay as a "sea of logs as far as you could see".
In 1912, a generator at the mill supplied electricity to the "whole town". But by 1918, "about the last thing to be sawed out" at the mill was lumber for an addition to the Charles "Em" George family house on Lee's Mill Road.
Thanks to: Frances A. Stevens As I Remember Moultonborough, 1987 and Sewart and Bob Lamprey.