JAY — The more than 100-year-old brick tower at the former Otis Mill on Mill Street was taken down Monday by a professional demolition company.

Amy Ouellette-Newman of Livermore Falls watched the landmark go down from the steps of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church at Church and Main streets in Jay.

“It was crazy that it came down as fast as it did,” she wrote in a Facebook message. “It was kind of a sad day as both my parents worked there as well as several other family members.”

She captured the collapse on video.

According to posts on Facebook, under Ouellette-Newman’s video, many people were sad to see it go.

The original mill was built in 1888 and became the founding mill of International Paper in 1898. The tower had International Paper Co. 1906 in large white letters at the top.

The company built the Androscoggin Paper mill on Riley Road in Jay, which began operations in 1960s.

Wausau Paper Corp. operated the Mill Street mill until it closed in 2009 after more than 120 years of papermaking and putting more than 100 people out of work. It was bought by Tim DeMillo of Jay and Mary Howes, formerly of Jay, that year with hopes of redeveloping it to preserve the mill history. After years of trying to redevelop it, they sold it to MAC Development, which was formed in 2015 by John Clark III of Farmingdale.

Copy the Story Link