It was an admittedly odd thing to do at 7:30 this morning. If you’ve driven by lately, you’ll know that removal work is well underway. That is the destruction and disposal and of the old Milford paper mill.

Built in 1908, it was one of three or four paper mills in our vicinity manufacturing specialty papers primarily for the food industry. The abandoned Milford mill was the “attraction” this morning as two chimney-like stacks, one 245 feet tall, were slated for destruction.

Just how do they go about that ? No, not with hammer and chisel, not with sledgehammers.

That’s right. With explosives and the push of a button. 40 or 50 folks sat in the fire house a mile or so distant and watched streaming video. Once the towers started to topple, it took four or five seconds for the structures to hit the ground . Structures that were a landmark for many years.

Hey, what can I tell ya ? It’s what we do for entertainment around here !

Not to make light of the matter, though. This mill was mainstay employment for many families for many years. Occasionally I’d compare notes with school buddies on what our Dads did for work.

How often would I hear, “Oh, he works at the mill.”

It was never a question which mill.

As a kid, I think I was glad that my Dad didn’t work in the mill. But, wait a minute. Kids whose Dads worked in the mill didn’t have to milk cows every day. Maybe the grass wasn’t always greener.