Then & Now: Old Mill Restaurant, Westminster

The story begins long before the pecan rolls. Well, for some, the story begins and ends with the pecan rolls.

For years, the Old Mill Restaurant in Westminster has been closely associated with the sweet accompaniment.

"The place with the pecan rolls?" a prospective diner might ask when a friend or relative suggests a special place for a birthday, anniversary or other noteworthy occasion.

The modern history of the Old Mill Restaurant on Route 2A in Westminster is surely highlighted by the pecan rolls, the rustic environment and a photo-friendly duck pond.

But the full history dates to the late 1700s, when a sawmill took shape on a small pond not far from Fitchburg. It was built by Phillip Bemis, an early settler of Westminster, and run by generations of the Raymond family.

The mill turned out boards and beams for houses, barns and, perhaps, factories. Wooden pipes were among the early creations.

The mill flourished for more than a century, but was quiet around the start of the 1900s. Emory Raymond was the last of the family to own the mill.

In the early 1920s, the property was taken over by Mary Keough and reshaped into a tearoom, open in the summers. The small pond at the edge of the mill added to the calmness sought by Keough, a retired teacher. The pond, still favored by ducks, remains fed by Round Meadow Pond, via a stream labeled on some older maps as Burntmill Brook.

In 1946, Ralph "Sarge" Foster , just back from World War II, and his wife, Ruth, took over the property. Foster, a captain in the U.S. Army, was later involved in other area businesses, including Westminster Village Inn.

After the war, the Fosters reworked the old tearoom into a year-round restaurant.

A few years after it opened, the mill was gutted by fire. Determined to rebuild without losing the charm, Ralph Foster tracked down lumber from dismantled barns and resurrected his restaurant. The restoration had elements of Bemis' original design.

In 1973, the Fosters' son Don and his wife, Beth, joined the business. Later, a third generation, Jay Foster, son of Don and Beth, continued the tradition.

Some readers might recall another Central Mass. restaurant with the same name. There was an Old Mill Restaurant on Route 20 in North Oxford, a special-occasion destination with weekend dancing and entertainment. The restaurant closed many years ago.

Last week Then & Now: Holland Rink, Lincoln Street, Worcester

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Then & Now: Old Mill Restaurant, Westminster