Huntley Buys Historic Sawyer-Kelley Mill Building

officials are closing on a historic building on Main Street _ the last standing mill in town _ today, but no decision has been made about what to do with the property.

Huntley is using monies from its Municipal Buildings Fund to make the purchase.

Known as the Sawyer-Kelley mill, the building dates back to the 1890s. W.G. Sawyer and John Kelley ran the mill on Main Street as well as a mill on Route 47, the Marlowe Feed building which was torn down last year.

Huntley Historic Preservation Commission members have asked the village to save the building and use it in some way. While there has been speculation the village will raze the building, no definitive decision on what to do with the property has been made.

Trustee Harry Leopold asked the matter be put on an upcoming agenda. He suggested a compromise: razing the building for a parking lot but creating a small park on the property with some kind of monument to Huntley’s historic fathers.

Trustee Pam Fender went on record Thursday saying she did not want to see the building torn down.

“We will have to have a discussion about it,” Mayor Charles Sass said.