Grist mills grind grains such as barley, wheat, rye, and corn. At the Wye Mill, native-grown corn and wheat were the most common grist. In earlier years, corn was husked and dried for 6 to 8 months in a corn crib, then shelled for milling, while wheat was similarly dried and then threshed. When needed, grain was poured into a hopper above the grinding stones. Usually made of granite and often weighing more than a ton each, two stones were used: the bed stone or nether stone on the bottom and the runner stone just above it. The runner stone's concave grinding surface was carved in spoke patterns that created a scissors effect to grind the grain. As the top stone rotated, grain was first cracked between the stones and then pushed outward by the spoke-like pattern, with the finest grinding along the perimeter. The millstones were rotated by water power. To provide steady and reliable power, the adjacent stream was dammed and water was stored in the mill pond. A large overshot wheel was turned by water sluiced from the pond into open pockets or trays on the wheel, and the weight of the water pulled the wheel downward, turning it. A system of gears connected to the wheel then turned the grindstones and the mill's other equipment.

Photo: Nate Davidson

Photo: Nate Davidson

Photo: Nate Davidson

Queenstown, Maryland · USA