Tuthilltown Gristmill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tuthilltown Gristmill
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North elevation and East profile of main building, 2010
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gardiner, NY |
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| Nearest city | Poughkeepsie |
| Area | 1.4 acres (0.57 ha) |
| Built | 1788 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003409 |
| Added to NRHP | June 14, 1982 |
The Tuthilltown Gristmill is a historic building in Gardiner, New York. It was built way back in 1788! Over the years, it has been made bigger and changed a few times.
For a long time, it was the oldest grist mill (a mill that grinds grain into flour) that was still working in New York State. Because it's so important, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Around that time, it started making special kosher flour used for baking matzoh. In 2007, the owners began turning it into a restaurant, which opened in 2010.
Contents
What is the Tuthilltown Gristmill Like?
The mill property is found at the end of Tuthilltown Road. This road runs along the west side of the Shawangunk stream. The area around the mill has lots of trees and open fields. Right next to it is the first whiskey distillery in New York since Prohibition.
The main building of the mill has three stories. It sits on a strong fieldstone foundation. The roof has a special raised section called a clerestory. The outside walls are covered with asbestos siding, but they were originally made of wood clapboard. A smaller, one-story part of the building holds the mill store.
Inside the mill, much of the original design and equipment is still there. On the first floor, you can see four sets of millstones. These large stones were used to grind grain. A special water wheel called a Leffel turbine powers the millstones. Water flows to the turbine through a concrete channel.
A Look Back: History of the Mill
How the Mill Started
A young man named Selah Tuthill built the mill in 1788 when he was only 18 years old. He built it right on the Shawangunk Kill stream, close to where it meets the Wallkill River. A small town grew up around the mill, and it became the main business center for the Town of Gardiner. However, when the Wallkill Valley Railroad was built, the nearby area of Gardiner grew more important.
How the Mill Changed Over Time
When it was first built, the mill used an undershot water wheel to get power from the stream. Later, this was changed to an overshot wheel, which is a different type of water wheel. Between 1880 and 1910, many modern grinding machines were added. This included a special vertical-shaft turbine system to power the mill. In 1943, a new section was added to the mill building, which included a garage.
The Mill Today
Today, the Tuthilltown Gristmill is being updated to be the TuthillHouse at the Mill Restaurant. The owners are working hard to keep as much of the original building and its history as possible, while also making it a great place to visit and eat.
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Tuthilltown Gristmill circa 1940
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Tuthilltown Gristmill Interior circa 1940
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TuthillHouse at the Mill Interior 08/10
