HARRISON – Travel “Back to the Past,” the late 1920s, for a ride on the narrow gauge passenger rail bus during the 14th annual celebration at Scribner’s Mill. The nine-passenger 1925 Model-A Ford rail bus provided passenger service on the narrow gauge line from Harrison to Hiram. The bus will arrive Saturday morning and will be in service on the track at Scribner’s Mill through Sunday.

The Scribner’s Mill “Back to the Past” event is a turn-of-the-century homestead, sawmill and lumbering festival to be held this year from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 5 and 6. There will be two days of demonstrations, exhibits, house tours, children’s activities and food.

Scribner’s Mill will be humming with the sound of old machinery turning out barrel parts, shingles and planed boards. The wood lathe will be spinning to reproduce the turned sides of the sash saw. Master craftsman Bob Dunning will be in the mill restoring the original bellows for the blacksmith shop, and Ed Somers will be demonstrating timber framing.

In the mill pond field, exhibitors will be cranking up their antique engines, tractors, trucks and autos. Outside the blacksmith shop there will be horseshoeing and oxen demonstrations.

The Scribner sister will be in the homestead, offering tours and sharing their stories of living at Scribner’s Mill. In the barn will be a display of old pictures and postcards and demonstrations of spinning, weaving, basketry, broom making, tatting and chair caning. New this year will be an exhibit on the T.H. Ricker and Sons Manufacturing Co. of Harrison.

There will be children’s workshops from 10:30 a.m. to noon for candle-dipping and design stamping, then from 1 to 2:30 p.m., weaving. At 2:30, all will have an opportunity to turn the crank to make ice cream, Free samples will be offered.

The Just Deserts booth will offer homemade ice cream on homemade pies. A pig roast and baked bean supper will be served at 5 p.m. Saturday, and reservations are recommended.

Admission to the festival is $5; children 12 and under, free. Proceeds will benefit Scribner’s Mill Preservation Inc. for the restoration of the 1847-1962 saw mill site. Scribner’s Mill is one mile south of Bolsters Mills on Scribner Mill Road. For more information or supper reservations, call 583-MILL (583-6455).