WINDSOR — One of the defining features of the building that is now the modern-day American Precision Museum in downtown Windsor was a giant waterwheel.
In the mid-1800s, the manufacturing that took place in the Robbins & Lawrence Armory was powered by water, including the 18-foot contraption.
“The waterwheel itself is lost to time, but now we actually have an electric-powered model,” said Alice Cable, associate executive director at the American Precision Museum. A new exhibit titled “Full Circle” will be unveiled at the museum at 11 a.m. on Saturday, both in person and on Facebook Live. More information about the museum’s COVID-19 policies and about the event can be found at americanprecision.org or by calling 802-674-5781.
The six-foot scale model was created with a partnership from CNC Software, Inc., the developers of Mastercam, which is based in Tolland, Conn., and HFO Trident. The museum reached out to Mastercam in June.
“Mastercam was willing to design and build this master wheel for us based on the original blueprints. We had some discussions about what size and how intricate it ought to be,” Cable said. “Not only did they donate the time and the materials but they’ve also videotaped the process of building it which they’re going to (make) available on heir social channels.”
The museum decided to plan the unveiling around their Manufacturing Day event, as October is National Manufacturing Month, which promotes careers in manufacturing.
“While we here at the museum don’t employ people in the field, I think this is a cool way to show how far we’ve come,” Cable said. “We encourage people to make the connection between STEM and manufacturing.”
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Here’s a look at other Upper Valley-based events that are coming up over the next few days.
■Vermont Creamery’s Chris Munsey will give an online talk titled “Cheese and Cider of New England: A Match Made in Heaven!” at 7 p.m. as part of the Enfield Shaker Museum’s “All at Home: A Taste of History” lecture and food tasting series. Tickets cost $15 and are available at shakermuseum.org/event/all-at-home-a-taste-of-history.
■Join an online knitting group hosted by the Thetford Libraries from 7-9 p.m. Knitters of all levels welcome. Email [email protected] for Zoom link.
■Watch a performance of Cartography at 8 p.m. on YouTube Live, followed by a Q&A with creators Christopher Myers and Kaneza Schaal as part of the Hop@Home program series. Find link at hop.dartmouth.edu.
■Begin streaming the films Sibyl, a portrait of a talented woman who wants to have it all and learns the price of her ambition, and The Fight, a documentary that follows a team of ACLU lawyers fighting four battles over abortion, immigrant, LGBTQ and voting rights. Both are available through the Hop’s Film on Demand program. They cost $5-$8 to stream and will be available through Oct. 7. Visit hop.dartmouth.edu for more information.
■An opening for the art exhibit “Local Color 2020” will be held at 5:30 p.m. at ArtisTree Community Arts Center (2095 Pomfret Road, South Pomfret). RSVP to [email protected].
■A rummage and craft sale, fried pizza dough and pulled pork grinders are among the features of the Plainfield Community Church’s Fall Festival, which takes place from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at Cory Taber Field (1094 Route 12A).
■The annual Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival is going virtual from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The event features more than 70 vendors offering fleece and yarn; fiber animals, fiber crafting equipment and supplies and handcrafted items. Visit vtsheepandwoolfest.org and/or join Facebook group: Virtual Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival for details.
■Cedar Circle Farm & Education Center (225 Pavillion Road, East Thetford) will provide all materials needed to make and decorate a dried flower grapevine wreath (or flower crown) during two family friendly workshops that run from 10-11 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. Group size is limited to 10 participants. $25 for adults; $5 for kids 8 and under. Register at cedarcirclefarm.org.
■Watch for hawks with members of the Hanover Conservancy at Balch Hill (Grasse Road) from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Meet at the summit and bring binoculars. Register at hanoverconservancy.org.
■Also at Cedar Circle, Nando, the creator and chef behind Moon and Stars Arepas, will guide participants through the process of making empanadas from scratch during two workshops that run from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-3:30 p.m. Group size is limited to 10 participants. $25. Register at cedarcirclefarm.org.
■The Fairlanes will play folk rock and Americana at 3 p.m. at the Haverhill Corner North Common (Dartmouth College Highway) in a socially distanced concert hosted by Court Street Arts. Visit courtstreetarts.org for more information.
■Mike Sheehy (guitar, harmonica) and Jan Sheehy (bass) will perform original songs during an outdoor concert at the Unitarian Universalist Meetinghouse (21 Fairground Road, Springfield, Vt.). Seating will be arranged for social distancing and masks are required. Donations for musicians welcome. Rain date is Sunday at 4 p.m. More details at uuspringfieldvt.org.
■Storyteller Jools Skeet will present an interactive program for children and their families at Baxter Memorial Library (5114 Route 14, Sharon) from 4-5 p.m. Register at [email protected]. Rain date: Oct. 4, 4 p.m.
■Covid Commedia, a Commedia dell’Arte theater company, will perform from 5-6 p.m. outside the CCBA Witherell Recreation Center (1 Taylor St., Lebanon). Bring blankets, a picnic, and your coats. Reservations required at covidcommedia.com
■The annual Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival is going virtual from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The event features more than 70 vendors offering fleece and yarn, fiber animals, fiber crafting equipment and supplies and handcrafted items. Visit vtsheepandwoolfest.org and/or join Facebook group: Virtual Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival for details.
■The virtual and in-person: Lake Fairlee CROP walk will take place from 2-5 p.m. Two in-person courses will be available: A two-mile course in Post Mills and a six-mile course around Lake Fairlee. Participants are also welcome to walk at a location of their choosing. The West Fairlee and Thetford food shelves will receive 25% of donations. Register crophungerwalk.org/fairleevt.
Editor’s note: Submit Upper Valley-based events to the Valley News at calendar.vnews.com.