Conway, New Hampshire Pegmill

History > Conway Pegmill

Though Benjamin Sturtevant derived his fame and fortune from fan manufacturing, he never lost interest in the shoe making trade. In 1873, he opened a shoe pegmill in Conway, New Hampshire which operated with equipment and utilized techniques based on the patents he continued to file right up to the time of his death. Besides supplying the New England region, according to accounts of that period, the pegmill had a good export trade with Germany.

(the following images are courtesy of the Conway, NH Historical Society)

Heels showing relative size of pegs Spiral band of Birch pegwood

Box of pegs

(upper left) Heels showing relative size of pegs.

(upper right) Spiral band of Birch pegwood

(bottom) Box of pegs

The B.F.Sturtevant Co. sold the mill in 1903, not coincidentally with their move to Hyde Park. It's probable they did a major strategy review of the business at that important juncture and came to the conclusion that the pegmill was part of Benjamin Sturtevant's past not the company's future.