Yates Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Yates Mill
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | Raleigh, North Carolina |
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| NRHP reference No. | 70000479 |
| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1970 |
Yates Mill is a very old and fully working gristmill from around 1756. It is located about five miles (8 km) south of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. This historic mill is the main attraction of Historic Yates Mill County Park in Wake County.
The park offers many things to explore. You can see the restored mill and visit a special center. This center has a museum about how mills work and the nature around the park. It also has classrooms, an auditorium, and areas for North Carolina State University students to do research. The park also features a 20-acre (81,000 m²) lake and many hiking trails. It is a wildlife refuge where people study and learn about the area's history, nature, and farming.
The Story of Yates Mill
Yates Mill is one of the oldest buildings in Wake County. It is the only working gristmill left in the area. For almost 200 years, this mill used water power to cut lumber, grind corn and wheat, and prepare wool.
Early Days of the Mill
The land for the mill was first looked at in October 1756. Samuel Pearson was given this land by the Earl of Granville. The Earl was one of the Lord Proprietors of the North Carolina colony. The first mill was built around this time. Samuel Pearson bought more and more land. By the time he passed away in 1802, he owned over 600 acres (2.4 km²).
In 1819, Samuel's son, Simon, had to sell the mill. He had too many debts. The mill and its land were sold at a special auction. William Boylan, a well-known businessman from Raleigh, bought the property. Over the next 30 years, he made many updates to the mill. He even added a sawmill in the 1840s.
New Owners and the Civil War
In 1853, Thomas Briggs, John Primrose, and James Penny bought the mill. About ten years later, during the Civil War, they sold it. Phares and Roxanna Yates bought the mill and 94 acres (380,000 m²) of land. Roxanna was James Penny's daughter.
In 1865, Federal troops were in Raleigh. They heard a story about the mill. The soldiers tried to burn the mill by setting fire to its entrance. You can still see the charred wooden beams today. This shows that their attempt to burn it was not successful.
The Yates family and their children ran the mill until 1948. Then, a businessman named A. E. Finley bought the property. He built a special lodge by the millpond for his family and workers. But people did not need the old mill as much anymore. So, it closed in 1953.
Saving the Mill
Ten years later, North Carolina State University bought the property. They used it as a large experimental farm. The mill was mostly used for storage until 1989. That year, a group called Yates Mill Associates was formed to help restore it.
The mill almost got destroyed in 1996. Heavy rains from Hurricane Fran broke its 250-year-old stone dam. In 1996, Yates Mill Associates and Wake County Parks worked together. They planned to fix the dam and the mill. This was part of creating a 574-acre (2.3 km²) historic and nature park. Today, Yates Mill is a special Raleigh Historic Landmark.
Yates Mill Today
The mill was empty for several years. Then, Yates Mill Associates, Inc. started working to restore it in 1988. The mill is an example of an Oliver Evans type of grist mill. It has been brought back to how it looked in the mid-1800s. Both the corn and wheat grinding machines now work again.
The mill officially opened to the public on May 20, 2006. Since then, they have held several corn grinding events. You can often take historic tours of the mill. They also show how corn is ground on certain days.
Who Helps Keep the Mill Running?
Yates Mill Associates, Inc. restored the mill with help from many groups. They received money from government agencies, North Carolina State University, and private citizens. North Carolina State University gave 154 acres (0.6 km²) of land for the park to use for a long time. They also use the park for ongoing natural history research.
Wake County bought 16 acres (65,000 m²) to add to the park. The North Carolina Department of Agriculture also allows the park to use about 400 acres (1.6 km²) nearby. The Wake County Parks Department helped create this 574-acre (2.3 km²) park.
The County also helped build the A.E. Finley Center for Education and Research. They provide the people and support needed to run the park. Yates Mill Associates helps organize and pay for the mill's upkeep and demonstrations. They do this with private donations and help from volunteers.
