Saugos Mill and Sawmill

The Saugos mill, originally built in 1908 as an auxiliary to the Vilkyčiai mill, was more like a full processing station than a simple mill—it supplied flour to Memel, present-day Klaipėda. When the capacity of the Vilkyčiai mill became insufficient, the decision was made to build another mill in Saugos. Equipment for its construction was shipped by train from Germany. Initially, the mill and the sawmill beneath it were powered by a steam engine. Around 1936, a single-cylinder diesel engine was installed. When it started up, smoke puffs from the chimney could be seen every 30 seconds—a sure sign that the grindstones were turning and grain was being milled. In 1953, the arrival of electricity brought an electric engine.
The Saugos mill was built from bricks made in Šilutė, and even today, no cracks can be seen in them. The mill has long since ceased to be a vital part of daily life, and its stones no longer grind grain. However, thanks to local heritage enthusiasts, the mill remains historically important to the region and to Lithuania’s milling history because it still preserves authentic milling equipment and original Swedish and German sawmill machinery and carts. Not only did the mill operate here, but also the sawmill—which survives to this day.