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Bale Grist Mill

Bale Mill
Bale Mill, CA 128, St. Helena, CA 10-22-2011 11-47-42 AM.JPG
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park is located in California
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park is located in the US
Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park
Location Napa County, California
Nearest city St. Helena, California
Coordinates 38°32′29″N 122°30′30″W / 38.54139°N 122.50833°W / 38.54139; -122.50833Coordinates: 38°32′29″N 122°30′30″W / 38.54139°N 122.50833°W / 38.54139; -122.50833
Area 5 acres (2.0 ha)
Built 1846
NRHP Reference # 72000240
CHISL # 359
Added to NRHP June 22, 1972

Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park is a California state park located in Napa County between St. Helena and Calistoga. The park is the site of a water-powered grist mill that was built in 1846 is one of only two water-driven mills remaining west of the Mississippi River.

The mill was established in 1846 by Dr. Edward Turner Bale on property in Rancho Carne Humana land grant. Bale lived near the site until his death in 1849.

The gristmill and granary were built with local materials, Douglas firs and coast redwoods. Some timbers were cut to length with the bark left on, while others were roughed out with hand tools. The timbers were notched and held in place with wooden pegs as well as nails and screws. The foundation of the structure is native stone. The mill was powered by a waterwheel, with water diverted from Mill Creek nearby. A ditch carried the water from a millpond to a wooden flume, which brought the water to the top of the waterwheel. The first wheel did not provide enough power during dry summers and was replaced by a larger one, similar to the one at the mill today.

The mill was once the center of social activity as Napa Valley settlers gathered to have their corn and wheat ground into meal or flour. Farmers brought grain to the mill where it was placed into the boot of an elevator to be mechanically transported upstairs where it was cleaned by various types of equipment. The slow turning of the old grind stones and the dampness of the mill's site gave the meal a special quality for making cornbread, yellowbread, shortening bread and spoonbread. As old timers put it, "When meal comes to you that way, like the heated underside of a settin' hen, it bakes bread that makes city bread taste like cardboard."


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