Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonard's Mills in Bradley, Maine

Written By Kelsey Cecil

Bradley, Maine · Updated October 19, 2026 · 12 min read

Museum with a major rail exhibitGrounds open daily sunrise to sunset; mills run on event days

Founded in 1960, the Maine Forest and Logging Museum interprets the forest as both a natural and human resource, and its Leonard's Mills site brings a 1790s logging settlement back to working life along Blackman Stream.

  • Founded in 1960
  • 400+ wooded acres on Blackman Stream
  • Water-powered up-and-down sawmill
  • Lombard log hauler collection
  • Grounds open sunrise to sunset
  • Leashed dogs welcome on non-event days

Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonard's Mills at a glance

Hours
Grounds open daily, sunrise to sunset; buildings and machinery operate on event days and Tuesday volunteer mornings
Admission
Living History Days (2026): adults $10, ages 3 to 17 $5, members free; non-event day fees not posted
Seasonal events
Living History Days
Plan for
About 2 hours, longer on event days
Best for
Families who like the outdoors and fans of old machinery
Best ages
Ages 4 and up
Parking
Visitor parking lot off Government Road; bear right at the fork
Accessibility
Outdoor site with unpaved trails; some buildings and paths are not wheelchair accessible. Call ahead with mobility concerns.

Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.

Look inside the book

Taking the kids to Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonard's Mills? Bring Rally along.

In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Bradley.

Page 1 of 8

Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

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Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.

Saving the woods history of the Maine Highlands

The Maine Forest and Logging Museum was founded in 1960 as a nonprofit to preserve the history of forestry and logging in Maine. Early volunteers gathered tools, artifacts and documents to form the first collection, and several local companies deeded land to give the museum a permanent home. The site took the name Leonard's Mills from the sawmills that once worked along this stretch of Blackman Stream, where a pioneer settlement stood in the 1790s.

The museum describes itself as the only one in Maine that treats the forest as both a natural and a human resource, past and present. That wider view shows up across the grounds: alongside the mills and machines there is a fishway for migrating alewives, an 1840s-style smokehouse for preserving them, and trails through the woods that shaped the settlers' lives.

Almost all of it is built and kept up by volunteers. Hundreds of supporters from across the Maine Highlands and beyond, from Fryeburg to Houlton and from Millinocket to Milford, give time and skill to rebuild structures, run the mills, clear trails and lead school groups. Their work is why a reconstructed 18th-century water-powered sawmill can still cut logs on the original settlement site, and why a crew turns up every Tuesday morning to keep the place going.

Two campuses of mills, machines and woods

The Upper Campus holds the machinery. Here you will find the Lombard Collection of log haulers, from rare steam-powered giants to early 20th-century gas models, plus a Cletrac Model W 12-20 crawler tractor, a 1927 Ford Model TT fitted with skis and tracks for winter work, and the logging sleds that once moved timber over frozen roads. The belt-driven Grady Machine Shop and the 1920s Mill Yard Complex, with its rotary saw, edgers and working shingle mill, show how power was shared through belts and pulleys.

The Lower Campus is quieter, with trails along Blackman Stream, the mill dam and Leonard's Mill itself, a working replica of a 1790s up-and-down sawmill. Nearby are a working blacksmith shop, a trappers' line camp, a settler's log cabin, a covered bridge and period watercraft such as the batteau. On ordinary days the buildings are closed and the machines are still, but the trails, structures and signs are open to explore.

Don’t miss

  1. The Lombard log haulersThe museum's collection runs from rare steam-powered haulers to early gas models, the tracked machines that changed how Maine moved logs out of the woods.
  2. Leonard's MillA working replica of a water-powered up-and-down sawmill on the original 1790s settlement site, and the centerpiece of Living History Days.
  3. 1920s Mill Yard ComplexA fully operational belt-driven sawmill exhibit with rotary blades, edgers and a working shingle mill.
  4. 1927 Ford Model TT on skis and tracksA rare truck converted for snow travel, showing how Mainers adapted machines to winter.
  5. The blacksmith shopA working shop where demonstrators forge iron on event days.
  6. The fishway and smokehouseA fish ladder for alewife migration and an 1840s-style cold smokehouse tell the story of a food that settlers depended on.

Big haulers, running mills and woods trails

Living History Days in early October are the best time to bring kids: reenactors, livestock, cider pressing and running sawmills turn the village into a working settlement, and children 3 to 17 pay less than adults. On other days, kids can walk the trails, peer into the cabin and mill buildings and see the giant log haulers up close, though climbing on structures and displays is not allowed.

This is an outdoor site with unpaved trails and uneven ground, so sturdy shoes matter and a jogging stroller or carrier will do better than a small stroller. There is no artificial lighting, so plan to leave before dark, and keep children supervised near the stream and machinery.

Plan your visit: tips for Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonard's Mills

  • Visit on a Tuesday between about 9 am and 1 pm, when volunteers are often on site and may open buildings.
  • Wear sturdy footwear for uneven, unpaved trails.
  • Leave before dark; there is no artificial lighting.
  • Leashed dogs are welcome on non-event days, but not during events (service animals excepted).
  • Alcohol, firearms, swimming and fires are not permitted.

Living History Days, held in early October, is the museum's most popular event, with reenactors, livestock, cider pressing and the sawmills running from 10 am to 3 pm. The museum lists other sawmill demonstrations and seasonal programs on its events calendar. If your family also wants a fall ride on real rails, our roundup of Halloween train rides in Maine lists options around the state.

Volunteers from the Highlands and beyond

The museum is a nonprofit run largely by volunteers, who operate the mills, lead tours, clear trails and maintain buildings. Membership funds its programs and preservation work and brings free entry to Living History Days. To volunteer, ask about group tours or sponsor the museum, call (207) 974-6278 or use the contact form on its website.

Pair it with these Maine rail stops

The Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor is about 10 miles away and adds trucks, cabooses and fire engines to the day. For a train ride, head about 25 miles to the Downeast Scenic Railroad, or about 48 miles to the Monson Railroad Museum. Browse train museums across Maine for more.

Every train museum in Maine

Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive

Watercolor of Rally the corgi looking out an arched train window at the ocean and a white bird
From Rally Takes the Train, watercolor by Leslie Dunn.

A sawmill driven by a water wheel feels like something from a storybook, and I love that families can stand by Blackman Stream and watch it work. In our book, Rally presses his nose to an arched train window to watch the ocean and say hello to a white bird. Moving water pulls at little ones the same way. My mom always believed the best part of any trip was looking out and noticing.

Free for train families

Print the Rally coloring pages before you go

Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.

Get the free coloring pages
Rally Takes the Train book cover: a watercolor corgi peeking from a red train

A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.

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More for train families

Work or volunteer at Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonard's Mills?

We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.

Leonard's Mills and the logging museum: 20 visitor questions

What are the Maine Forest and Logging Museum hours?

As of October 2026, the grounds at Leonard's Mills are open every day from sunrise to sunset. The buildings and machinery only operate during events or volunteer days, so check the museum's events calendar or call (207) 974-6278 if you want to see the mills running.

How much does it cost to visit the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

For Living History Days in October 2026, tickets were $10 for adults, $5 for children 3 to 17 and free for members, sold at the gate or online. The museum does not post an admission fee for non-event days, so call (207) 974-6278 to ask before an ordinary visit.

Where is Leonard's Mills in Bradley, Maine?

Leonard's Mills is at 262 Government Road in Bradley, about 1.5 miles off Route 178 and about 10 miles from Bangor and the University of Maine in Orono. From Brewer, take Route 9 about 4 miles toward Eddington, turn onto Route 178 for about 4.5 miles, and turn right onto Government Road across from the large sign.

Where do you park at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Follow Government Road from Route 178, bear right at the fork, and park in the visitor parking lot. The museum asks everyone to use that lot. On busy event days such as Living History Days, arriving early is wise, and staff can answer parking questions at (207) 974-6278.

What is Leonard's Mills?

Leonard's Mills is the Maine Forest and Logging Museum's home site, a living history village on more than 400 wooded acres along Blackman Stream. Its centerpiece is a working replica of a 1790s water-powered up-and-down sawmill on the original site of a pioneer settlement, surrounded by a blacksmith shop, cabin, covered bridge and trails.

When are the sawmills running at Leonard's Mills?

The mills and other machinery run during museum events and on volunteer days. Living History Days in early October is the surest time to see the sawmills working. Tuesday mornings, when the volunteer crew is on site, may also offer a chance to see things in motion, so call ahead.

What is Living History Days at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Living History Days is the museum's most popular event of the year. Reenactors, livestock, cider pressing and running sawmills recreate a working 1790s logging settlement. In 2026 it ran October 3 and 4 from 10 am to 3 pm, with tickets for adults, children and free entry for members.

What are the Lombard log haulers at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Lombard log haulers were tracked machines used to move logs out of Maine's woods. The museum's collection ranges from rare steam-powered haulers to early 20th-century gas models, and exhibits explain how they shaped Maine logging. They are displayed on the museum's Upper Campus.

Does the Maine Forest and Logging Museum have trains?

The museum is about logging, not railroads, so there are no train rides or rail cars to tour. Its link to rail history is the steam-powered machinery: the Lombard log haulers and other engines show how steam moved timber in the woods. For trains, nearby options include the Downeast Scenic Railroad.

Can you visit Leonard's Mills on a non-event day?

Yes. Visitors are welcome on non-event days to walk the trails and see the structures and interpretive signs. Buildings and machinery are closed outside events and volunteer days, but on Tuesdays from about 9 am to 1 pm volunteers are often there and may open buildings if asked.

Is the Maine Forest and Logging Museum good for kids?

Yes, especially on event days, when reenactors, animals, cider pressing and working mills give kids plenty to watch. On quiet days, children can explore trails, the cabin and the big log haulers. They must be supervised at all times, and climbing on structures or displays is not allowed.

Are dogs allowed at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Yes, on non-event days. Dogs must be leashed (6 feet maximum), licensed, vaccinated and spayed or neutered, with a limit of two per handler, and owners must pack out all waste. Dogs are not allowed during events (except ADA service animals), inside buildings or on equipment.

Is the Maine Forest and Logging Museum wheelchair accessible?

Only partly. It is an outdoor site with historic structures and unpaved, uneven trails, and some buildings and paths are not wheelchair accessible because of their historic nature. The museum asks visitors with mobility concerns to contact it ahead of time at (207) 974-6278 so staff can try to help.

When was the Maine Forest and Logging Museum founded?

The museum was founded in 1960 as a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and interpreting Maine's forestry heritage. Volunteers gathered the first collection of tools, artifacts and documents, and land donated by local companies became the Leonard's Mills site that the museum still uses today.

Does the Maine Forest and Logging Museum offer school and group tours?

Yes. School tours and public programs are a core part of what the museum does at Leonard's Mills. To schedule a group or school visit, call (207) 974-6278 or use the contact form on the museum's website, and include your preferred dates and group size.

How can I volunteer at the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Volunteers help run the working mills, lead tours, clear trails and maintain the grounds, and the regular crew meets on Tuesdays. The museum welcomes new volunteers with any level of skill. Reach out through the contact form on its website or call (207) 974-6278 to get started.

Does the Maine Forest and Logging Museum have a membership?

Yes. Memberships directly fund the museum's programs, events and preservation work, and members got free admission to Living History Days in 2026. Details and sign-up are on the museum's website under its membership support page, or call (207) 974-6278 to ask about levels.

What should I bring to the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

Bring sturdy shoes for uneven trails, layers for Maine weather and, if you bring a dog on a non-event day, bags to pack out waste, since none are provided. There is no lighting on site, so time your visit to finish before dark. Alcohol and firearms are not permitted.

How long should I spend at Leonard's Mills?

Plan about two hours for the trails and both campuses on a quiet day. On Living History Days, many families stay longer to watch the mills, demonstrations and reenactors. Event hours in 2026 ran from 10 am to 3 pm, so arrive early if you want to see everything.

What train museums are near the Maine Forest and Logging Museum?

The Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor is about 10 miles away. The Downeast Scenic Railroad in Hancock is about 25 miles away, the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad about 38 miles and the Monson Railroad Museum about 48 miles, making the Bangor area a good base.

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