Yates Mill

Yates Mill is a restored gristmill from 1756. It is five miles south of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, in the United States. The mill is the main feature of Historic Yates Mill County Park, in central Wake County.

The park has the restored mill and a visitor center. The center has a museum about milling and the area's natural history. It also has classrooms, an auditorium, and space for North Carolina State University research.

There is a 20-acre lake and many hiking trails in the park. The park is a wildlife refuge. It works to learn about and share the area's cultural, natural, and farming history.

History

Yates Mill is one of the oldest buildings in Wake County and the only working gristmill left in the area. For nearly 200 years, this water-powered mill made lumber, ground corn and wheat, and processed wool. The land was given to Samuel Pearson in October 1756 by the Earl of Granville, a leader of North Carolina at the time. The original mill was built around that time. Over the years, the mill changed owners several times.

During the Civil War, there was a story about someone named Penny who had a problem with another person. Later, the mill almost burned down, but the fire was stopped. In 1948, a businessman named A. E. Finley bought the mill, but it closed in 1953 because it wasn’t being used much. North Carolina State University later took care of the property. In 1989, efforts began to restore the mill. After a storm damaged the old dam in 1996, work continued to fix and preserve the mill. Today, Yates Mill is a historic landmark and part of a beautiful park.

Current use

Yates Mill was empty for a few years until work to fix it began in 1988 by Yates Mill Associates, Inc. Today, the mill looks like it did in the mid-1800s, with machines that can grind corn and wheat. Since it opened to the public on May 20, 2006, people can take tours and watch corn grinding shows on some days.

The fixing of the mill was helped by money from government groups, North Carolina State University, foundations, companies, and private people. North Carolina State University gave 154 acres of land for long-term use, which helps with ongoing natural history research.

Wake County added 16 acres to the park, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture gave access to another 400 acres. The Wake County Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department helped build the 574-acre park, including the A.E. Finley Center for Education and Research. The county also gives staff and support to run the park. Yates Mill Associates uses private donations and volunteers to care for the mill and its shows.