Sawmill Breckenridge

The Wakefield Sawmill on Boreas Pass Road was built in about 1938 by Marion Wakefield and operated until the fall of 1959. "Wakey", as he was known to locals during that period, came west from St. Louis during the Depression with his wife Zella. He worked as a carpenter on the construction of the Green Mountain Reservoir and built the sawmill in the late 1930s. He also attempted to develop some small mines on the site. The mill closed down in 1959, shortly before Wakefield’s death. Within several hundred yards of the Wakefield site, another important sawmill - the Jacot mill - operated in the early 1900s.

This hands-on historical exhibit was built to interpret the history of sawmilling and its relationship to our local mining history. Nationwide, very few sawmill exhibits exist to tell the story of the vital (but nearly forgotten) part sawmills played in early frontier history, such as providing lumber for homes, commercial, and mining buildings, lumber for gold mining, sluice boxes, and flumes, and underground support timbers.

Hours of Operation

The outdoor museum is open year-round, sunrise to sunset, subject to weather conditions.

The historic equipment on display was locally and regionally sourced. Numbered, self-guided tour brochures are available on site.

Cost

FREE, $5 Suggested Donation (can be made at the Breckenridge Welcome Center)

Directions

From the Breckenridge Welcome Center (203 South Main Street), travel south on Main Street and turn left on Boreas Pass Road. Drive for 3/4 a mile and the sawmill is on your right down a short hill.