Preservation Project
Obadiah Latourette Grist and Saw Mill Restoration Project
Downstream riverside view during low water conditions on the South Branch.
One of the French Burr stones at the mill.
Currently installed Bartley turbines.
The Cranson Codring Polishing & Separating machine.
Ideal bolters.
The earliest part of the Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill was built about 1751, probably by Phillip Weise. It was a water-powered, grain and flour milling operation and was undoubtedly the first major industry in Long Valley (German Valley). About 1874 an addition was constructed on the western side. Most of the equipment in the mill dates from this period. While the mill building deteriorated terribly over the years, most of this equipment remains intact. Some of it is very rare. At this time much of the oldest part of the building has been stabilized.
The mill had four pairs of mill stones which have been identified as French Burr stones. French Burr stones, which were quarried principally in one small area of northern France, were important to this country because they were the best stone ever discovered for grinding wheat into white flour. They produced a whiter flour from wheat because the extremely hard surface was far less abrasive then any other stone. Abrasive stone would shred the outer part of wheat, the bran, into powder. This fine powder bran sifted through bolting cloth together with the white meal and the flour thus produced was darker.
Originally the mill was probably powered by two wooden horizontal water wheels. These wheels drove wooden gear wheels which in turn drove the millstones.
In 1874, during the mill's expansion, the present turbines were apparently installed. These turbines were manufactured by the firm of William Bartley and Sons, of Bartley, New Jersey, not too far from Long Valley.
During the 1870's a great change took place in the flour milling process when the grinding of wheat went from the millstone process to a roller grinding process. The "New Milling Process" originally used milling stones. Wheat was coarse ground, and sifted. The coarser and purified middlings, were ground again with subsequent siftings and grindings.
Later, millstones and rollers were used. Some of the equipment at the mill from this period includes a Middlings Purifier, a Eureka Smut and Separating Machine, and an Invincible Receiving Separator.
This technology was soon replaced by flour milling plants which used chilled iron rollers.
We are always looking for volunteers. Much of the restoration work to this time was accomplished by people like you who are willing to spend a Saturday or Sunday working under the supervision of a professional.