Dexter Grist Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Dexter Grist Mill
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Dexter, Maine |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1854 |
| Built by | Caleb B. Curtis |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Industrial |
| NRHP reference No. | 75000104 |
| Added to NRHP | October 10, 1975 |
The Dexter Grist Mill is a really old building in Dexter, Maine. It was built way back in 1854! For over 100 years, one family used it to grind grain into flour. Today, it's known as the Dexter Historical Society Museum. It became a museum in 1967, so people could learn about its history. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 because it's so important.
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Exploring the Dexter Grist Mill
The Dexter Grist Mill is in the middle of Dexter's town center. You can find it next to a big parking lot. This lot is behind the shops on Main and Spring Streets. The mill property has two main parts. There is the main mill building and also the miller's house.
The Mill Building: What It Looks Like
The mill building is made of wood. It is about 30 feet wide and 75 feet long. The main part of the building is two stories tall. It also has different sections added on. The outside of the mill is covered with wooden shingles and clapboards. It sits on a foundation made of bricks and stones. The main door is on the north side. A small porch covers these double doors. Inside, you can still see the old machines from the early 1900s. These machines used to be powered by a large water wheel. That water wheel is not there anymore. The mill was built in 1854. But people had been grinding grain at this spot since the early 1800s.
The Miller's House: A Home Next Door
Just south of the mill is the miller's house. This house is one and a half stories tall. It is also made of wood. It has a classic Cape style design. There are five windows or doors across the front. A chimney stands in the middle of the roof. The house is covered with clapboard and shingle siding. It was built in 1838. The house shows a style called Greek Revival. The front door has special side windows. It also has decorative columns and a fancy top piece.
A Look Back: History of the Mill
The very first mill in Dexter started around 1801. It was built by Samuel Elkins. This first mill was north of the current mill's spot. It was on the shore of Lake Wassookeag. The lake's water provided power for the mill.
New Owners and a New Mill
In 1817, Jonathan Farrar bought the mill property. He made the lumber mill bigger. He also built a new grist mill at the spot where it is today. To get power for this new mill, he dug a mill pond and a canal. In 1854, Farrar teamed up with a man named Cutler. They hired Caleb B. Curtis to build the gristmill we see now.
From Family Business to Museum
Farrar and Cutler hired James Quimby Maxwell to run the mill. Maxwell's family eventually bought the mill. They kept running it and making updates. The mill finally closed in 1966. After that, the town bought the mill. They gave it to the local historical society. The society turned it into a museum. The Dexter Grist Mill is one of the few mills from the mid-1800s still standing in Maine.
See also
