Millstone from the Bates Flour Mill

MILLSTONE FROM THE BATES FLOUR MILL

This Limestone Millstone Was Donated To The Dexter Area Historical Society By

Erwin and JoAnn Mast

SEPTEMBER 14TH 1990

THE BATES MILL SITE: THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF SHIELDS ROAD & MILL CREEK WAS BETWEEN THE MILL RACE & MILL CREEK.  VRELON BATES, WHO PURCHASED THE PROPERTY FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN 1826 ERECTED THE MILL ABOUT 1840.  ABOUT 1870 IT WAS CONVERTED FROM A SAW MILL TO A FLOUR MILL & OPERATED INTO THE 1890s.  THIS STONE WAS THE UPPER MOVABLE STONE, THE RUNNER, & RESTED ON A SHAFT FROM BELOW, THE SPINDLE.  THE POWER TO TURN THE SPINDLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE MILL’S WATER WHEEL.  THE LOWER STONE WAS STATIONARY & CALLED A BUHR-STONE.  THE SPACE BETWEEN THE STONES WAS MAINTAINED BY ADJUSTMENT MECHANISMS UNDER THE SPINDLE.  THE HAND-CUT GROOVES IN THE STONE MATCHED A SECOND SET OF GROOVES IN THE STATIONARY BUHR-STONE.  THE GROOVES PROVIDED A SHEARING, SQUEEZING & CRUSHING ACTION ON THE GRAIN.

THIS PLAQUE ERECTED SEPTEMBER 1997

Submitted by

Bryan Arnold

@nanowhiskers