INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PLATFORM 2000-2002 

PROJECT: THE POWER OF WATER

In 2001-2002 Cultural Heritage Salvage Group participated in Nordic-Baltic cooperation project - Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002 (IHP) (http://www.ihp.lt).

Nordic-Baltic Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002 is a three-year co-operation project designed for the Baltic Sea region states to deepen their knowledge about the conservation of heritage, learn how to make objective assessments of heritage problems, and find an appropriate use for industrial heritage. The project has obtained its basic funding from the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The aim of the Nordic-Baltic Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002 project is to stimulate the protection, conservation, documentation, and research of industrial heritage and dissemination of information in the Baltic Sea region.

The aim of the project shall be achieved by creating co-operation networks and exchanging professional expertise as well as organising international training courses and seminars. The training shall be directed at the co-ordination of practical purposes and techniques, international and national needs for the protection of industrial heritage. The project shall not be aimed at the creation of a new organisational form in the Baltic Sea countries region but at the direction of focus and work of the existing structures towards the industrial heritage. The attention of the existing structures shall be attracted maintaining interrelations and developing active activities in the area of industrial heritage.

The member-states of the Nordic-Baltic Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002 project are Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, and Norway. The secretariat of the project is at the Finnish National Board of Antiquities.

One of the main aims of the Nordic-Baltic Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002 project is the integration of resources of various countries for the organisation of training on industrial heritage as continuous process, which would last after the official close of the project.

The project “The Power of Water” is the part of “Industrial Heritage Platform 2000-2002". It is co-ordinated by Cultural Heritage Salvage Group (CHSG). The main goals of the project are closely related to the objects of industrial heritage, which use water supplies. The project is focused on the promotion, protection and conservation, increasing and strengthening knowledge, appreciation and appropriate use of water mills and other objects of industrial heritage, based on hydraulic energy, in Lithuania.

In 2001 CHSG completed inventory of water mills in East Lithuania and the analysis of inventory was carried out. The inventory is based on field material (descriptions, drawings, and photographs) and historic evidence. For more information about water mills in East Lithuania, including inventory and analysis please contact CHSG.

In December 2001 two excursions and short courses on history of industrial heritage for the children from M. Mazvydas secondary school in Vilnius and "Duksta" club were organised. During these excursions some places of industrial heritage were visited, such as grain mills in Vilnius, cardboard mill and dam in Kuckuriskes, Naujoji Vilnia, paper mill in Verkiai and aqua viaduct at Grigiškes paper factory. At the same time the competition "From water mills to power plants" was organised. Children showed their knowledge about this kind of industrial heritage by drawing or writing.

In 2002 the project "The Power of Water" included such activities: inventory of Grigiskes paper mill, fieldwork course on the inventory of paper mill for students, discussions with owners, managers, workers and the local authority and the travelling photo exhibition "The Power of Water".

Water mills in Vilnius

In the 19^th century Lithuanian nobles lived at manors which were important industrial centres producing and selling goods in towns. Almost every manor had its own industry of manufactories, breweries, distilleries, blacksmiths’ and workshops. Nearly every manor had a wind or water mill.

Most of manors’ industrial buildings still exist today, but they are neglected or in the state of emergency. Water mills of manors are in better condition because of the local museums or restaurants in there.

Today you can see such water mills in Vilnius:

• Water mill in Puckoriai (at the end of Belmonto str. in Vilnius)
• Water mill in Zverynas (Latviu str. 64 in Vilnius)
• Reconstructed water mill in Pilaite (Piliakalnio str. 10 in Vilnius)
• Water mill in Verkiai (Verkiu str. 100 in Vilnius)

Water mill in Puckoriai

Puckoriai water mill is placed on the bank of the river Vilnele in Naujoji Vilnia region in Vilnius. In the middle of the 19 ^th century Frenchman Charles Devim had rented some soil there and built a water mill and a tavern. From then until now people call this mill a French one. After the World War II Puckoriai water mill was nationalised and manufactured production for Vilnius region. Part of the dike and dam survived until today. Not long ago a tavern was built there. Huge and beautiful stone masonry building now is under reconstruction.

Zverynas mill is on the bank of the small river Saltupis, which connects the river Neris with the ponds in Latviu Street. First water mill was built there in the 16 ^th century by the nobles Radvilos. The mill, which had survived until our days, was built in the 19 ^th century. At the end of the 19 ^th century the mill's machinery was renovated and a steam engine was set. From then until World War II the mill produced flour. In 1950 the machinery was renovated again and the mill began produce fineground barley. All the survived machinery in the mill was build after World War II.

Water mill in Pilaite produced flavour from the 16^th century. From then the power of the water in ponds of the small river Sudervele spins its millstones. In 1828 there was established the training farm of the Practical Agronomy Institute of Vilnius University. After World War II there was Buivydiskes Technical College of Agronomy. All pounds were used for fishing industry and the main pound for the power plant. In 1989 the wooden part of the mill was on fire and only in 2000 it was reconstructed. The ponds system was reconstructed too and the exhibition of water mills machinery was organised.

Water mill in Verkiai was built nearby the road in the 19^th century. The mill stood on the bank of nameless small river which falls into the Neris. Until the World War I the mill worked empowered by that small river. After the war mill's machinery was renovated and electricity was introduced. The mill produced flavour until 1975. Now the mill is reconstructed into a restaurant, but some machinery had survived and was conserved.

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Water mills in East Lithuania

Lots of small rivers in East Lithuania ensured the availability of hydraulic energy for the local and regional industries. The best-survived objects of those industries are water mills. They describe:

• Agricultural and food industries, for example grain mills.
• Manufacturing industries, such as wool-carding workshops, fulling-mills, sawmill built in water mills.
• Power sources, as expressed in water mills, steam, stem and early hydroelectric power plants.

Most water mills' buildings are wooden, but there are stone masonry and brick buildings. Many water mills were build at manors.

Millstones were spun by the power of water, which flowed above, under or into side the mill's wheel.

The construction of dams of the mills most often isn't very difficult. Most dams are made from soil, stone, wood and bricks.

Not all rivers were allowed to dam up. Bigger rivers were some kind of traffic mains and dams could prevent shipping.

Old water mills had 1 or 2 wheels some of them had 3 or 5 ones. In the 20^th century most mills had turbines. Turbines were imported from Germany, Sweden, Latvia, Poland or France as well as produced in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Soon mills began to use the power of electricity and old water mills were reconstructed or neglected.

Dr. E. J. Morkūnas

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Kuckuriskes cardboard mill

Kuckuriskes paper-mill was built in 1823 by count Puslowski. Later the paper-mill was rented for local industrialists. The paper-mill grew up into an industrial complex - paper and cardboard factory. In 1833 factory produced paper and cardboard for the sum of 40 000 roubles. The factory produced paper and cardboard not only for Vilnius but also for other provinces of Russian Empire. In 1848 the machinery was renovated and new English equipment was set. In 1850 the factory made production for the sum of 65 000 roubles. The cardboard factory in Kuckuriskes worked until 2001. Survived buildings and machinery are still in the Popieriaus Street in Naujoji Vilnia.