We need your help to keep the mill stone moving at Watson’s Mill!

Have you ever enjoyed a freshly baked loaf of bread from the Mill? Or used our freshly milled flour to bake something delicious of your own? Our millstone is the key piece of equipment that allows us to bring these experiences to our visitors. It’s the heart of the Mill.

Working closely with our Head Miller and our knowledgeable millwright, WMMI has developed a long-term maintenance plan to address restoration needs at Watson’s Mill. However, in the summer of 2023, it became evident that our mill stone would need urgent attention as soon as possible. Before we do any of our other planned restoration work, we absolutely need to address the mill stone. And to do that, we need your help.

Here’s what we need to do to keep the mill stone moving:

• Start from the ground up! First, we need to make sure that the timbers and structures underneath the mill stone are on a solid footing. We need to strengthen the foundation and the timber beams that supports the main grindstone before we can do anything else.
• Fix up the Frame. The frame surrounding the mill stone has been shifting. In 2023, this meant that the millstone ran into major problems ceasing and stalling.
• (Stop) Grinding Our Gears. There are a series of gears connected to the turbine and drive shaft that power the mill stone. Some of these gears have missing teeth, others have started to wear each other. We need to properly fix and outfit the gears so that we have enough power to move our mill stone.
• Crank it up. Did you know that the mill stone must be lifted and lowered during the milling process? Did you know that it weighs about 2000 lbs? There’s a special arm mechanism that lifts the stone, but after years of wear and tear it needs some serious TLC.

It’s a long to-do list, but we know we can make it all happen with your help! Donate today to keep the mill stone moving, the flour grinding, and the bread baking.