Originally, the mill was water powered. A reservoir was contained behind the dam on Turnback Creek. A mill race led from the dam, about 200 yards, to the mill. The below diagram depicts the “original” (1840’s) mill location and its paddle wheel and a “turbine pit” which served the later (1892) two-storied mill. The “sluice” was added by Bill Cameron in his restoration project, which has never functioned as intended.
A set of two gates in the mill race controlled the water flow to the water turbine or paddle wheel.
Most recently, Clyde Beal retrofitted the mill’s equipment to be driven electrically by two motors. One, mounted in the overhead, driving a line shaft which had pulleys to power both the elevator and the sifter. There was also an option to rotate the water wheel, simply for ambiance. Who doesn’t expect to see a water wheel at a grist mill?
