Business and Industry
Albert S. Nadeau Aggregate Business was established in 1945. The super structure was built out of wood timbers due to shortages following World War 2. All the metal parts, such as crushers, screens, water pipes, and bucket elevators were second-hand from scrap yards. The Village Electric Department installed electric wires and transformers. A complete plant replacement was undertaken in 1958. The plant continues to be family operated as Nadeau Sand and Gravel today. Learn more about the early history of business and industry in Johnson by checking the gallery.
1st mine shaft Located at the end of Railroad St. Remnants can still be found behind the food shelf. The ore was transported to mill by train.
Ore Shoot Rock from mining area loaded to train which was loaded to “skip” to take to surface.
Ore Car Dumping Dumping to lead “skip”. Can be side dumped to either side.
Mine Walls Talc ore runs in leases (like veins). This is a wall of Lease after drilling and blasting.
Loading Skip Skip end is open and when skip is tilted can be loaded from shoot above.
Skip and Skip headed to surface from a level below Level 4. Skip runs on tracks.
Mine Skip Hoist From a separate building skip is raised by large electric powered winch. Note the bar across the top. Each mark indicates where skip is in shaft.
Headframe Skip dups at top and ore falls into bins for different sizes. Note the hoist house in left of photo.
Loading Ore Truck Loading from bin of large sized ore. To left are 2 bin openings for smaller size. Probably early to mid -60s.
Unloading Ore Early hauler unloading at mill. Previous hauling done by horse and wagon/sleigh.
Unloading Ore Photo probably mid- 50s.
Jasper Lining Bricks of jasper stone (very hard) from western U.S., was used to line walls of Harding Mill.
Jasper Stone Some material used as liner, but some stone sized to mix with ore to fine crush it. Samples can be seen at Johnson Historical Society.
Harding Pebble Mill Like a large tumbler mill, lined with jasper bricks and tumble grinding talc mixed with jasper ball medium.
Flotation Operation This was the first mill in the country to use this process to separate very fine product from what was previously waste.
Flotation Cells Close up of talc and foaming reagent being wet processed.
Flotation Vacuum Filter Drum vacuum to remove slurry from talc before drying process.
Bagging Buk talc from silo storage being bagged for shipment by rail or truck.
Bag Loading Bagged and palleted ready for rai or truck shipment
Talc Stored Orders of talc ready for shipment
Talc Mill Building Earliest American Mineral Company Talc Mill.
American Mineral Eastern Magnesium Talc. 1920’s
Construction of addition for Floatation plant Early 1930’s
Mill Plant in late 1950’s with area of now Mill Park in foreground.
Talc Mill site at time of closing.
Mine surface site at time of closing. Note the head frame and old and new hoist house.
Product display to show some uses of finished product.
Assad Saleeby Bldg, 50 Lower Main Street West
Asaad Saleeby’s 1st store was across Main St. where Northern Highlights Salon is now. Mr. Saleeby sold an exceptional line of dry goods serving clientele within a 40 mile radius.
Atlantic Room (left) from the Hotel Johnson, which became Hill’s Furniture Store. Quality Market (right) was meat/fruit market operated by Joe and Sadie Salvatore and later by Bob Towne a Townes’s Market.
Looking east on Main Street to Masonic Temple with town clock and bandstand on east side.
Beard’s Hardware Established circa 1928 on south side of Main St. Previously Riddle Brothers and now Downtown Pizza.
Last operators of Beard’s Store Hubert (center) , Florence ( foreground) , Alan (son, rear)
Charles Bishop Station master for the railroad in town and later Postmaster.
Railroad St. Looking south on Railroad St. Circa Early 1920’s . Nye Block on the right. The building on the left now houses the Laundromat and apartments.
Pearl St. Dam and falls on Gihon River located between the Gris Mill and Johnson Woolen Mill Building. Then Gris Mill building is now home to the Vermont Studio Center.
Sugaring This is the Floyd Ellsworth sugarhouse on Clay Hill. A lot of open land in the background that you don’t see today.
Grand Union Market This is a picture of the Grand Opening of Johnson’s first super- market. (now Sterling Market) Dick Sinclair Manager (on Right) Larry Manning clerk (left).
Johnson Woolen Mill Circa 1940 on Main St. The history of the woolen mill goes back as far as 1836. A New factory was build by D.A. Barrows in 1905. This building was the pants factory.
Johnson Woolen Mill Pearl Street plant for fabric manufacturing. Much of the dyed fabric was rinsed out in the river below.
Johnson Main St looking west. Photo circa 1940’s. Brick building on right was the bank, The Sterling Trust Co., on left the first full building is Beard’s Hardware and then the Johnson Pharmacy.
Intersection Main St and Railroad St. Note the Silent Policeman . There was also one at Pearl and Main St. intersection.
Marvin’s Store (Butternut Mountain ) This was home to the town blacksmith shop and garage (right of building ) and Fire station on left. Later connected as one building.
C.H. Stearns (left) Covered Bridge (center) Store / apartments (V. Despault block) (right) Immediately after the 1927 flood. Today the VT. Studio School (left) Pearl St. Bridge (center) .
Looking up Gihon River from below Pearl St. Bridge and Mill Dam. Notice the Covered Bridge.
Hotel Johnson- Early 1900’s The back this building was built in 1812. The rear of building was closed during prohibition. It last operated as hotel/tavern by St. Jock family. See old register at Johnson Historical Society. Later Hills Store /Quality Market. Today apartments.
Looking North on Pearl St. from Main St. Twin Covered bridges and early garage/ blacksmith shop/theatre/ apt. building on west side of Street.
Village Powerhouse 100C Looking north at the Powerhouse from the east end of the covered bridge. Removed in 2019.
Railroad St. looking south from Main St.
Scott House Located on Railroad St. diagonally across from the Library. Longtime home of Dr. and Mrs. Scott . Dr. Scott was a veterinarian.
Landmark/Nye Block Built in 1868/69 Located on SW corner of Main and Railroad St. Built by Leonard Knight as a mercantile store in anticipation of Railroad to be built from Newport to Junction at Johnson. It burned in 1986
Vermont Electric Coop headquarters on School Street across from the school. It was built in the early 1950’s . Recently torn down and replaced with new housing unit.
Aura Richard’s Store Located on 100C in East Johnson, on left before twin bridges. For years this store was the center of East Johnson. In past years It was Charlie Bapp’s Gun Shop and the Winding Brook Bistro.
Atlantic RoomQuality Market
Horner’s Greenhouse. Route 15 West Originally a small convenience store and farm stand owned and operated by Ken Horner and his wife and family. Later a large green house. The Buggy man’s Antiques was part of that property.
Longtrail Tavern now Moog’s Joint. Route 15 West. Built and operated by Buddy Jones, it was originally called The Red Baron.
desGroseillier’s Funeral home – formerly located in the Holcomb House now home to the Johnson Historical Society.
Farmers Market
Johnson Farmers Market
Grand Union now home of the Sterling Market.
Johnson Diner
Johnson Mud Bog
Laraway Mtn Insurance – Wheelers Flooring
Manchester Lumber
Maple Addiction Shoppe
Middle Eastern Food
Parker and Stearns
Piezanos
Stearn’s Store Sign
