It's easy today to dismiss this engineering marvel as something outdated and even simple but in reality most people today would not be able to fully understand and explain , let alone create from scratch a gristmill. We've come a long way but we should not forget how revolutionary these things were.
'should not forget how revolutionary these things were'... exactly. I tell my students this all the time with things like the Telegraph that they otherwise would dismiss as something obsolete when it was massively life changing in its time. It's fun to think about how radically people's everyday lives were transformed by such innovation!
I've always been fascinated by grist mills, and it's amazing how much power there is in water. But the main thing that I think of is it's not very sanitary compared to how modern day processing plants are required to be. Somehow the people for centuries survived potential contamination.
@richenuff01 How is it unsanitary? As long as the grain can be kept dry I see no problem other than than griststones occasionally shedding grit [much more of a problem with coarser grinds like meal] damaging teeth.
I grew up within WALKING DISTANCE of this place! It is astonishing! A HELL of a lot of money has been spent on restoring and keeping it that awesome! They actually grind up grain to make RYE alcohol with. They SELL it in more really nice big buildings behind it. Tastes like paint thinner is what I have been told lol...
Our distillers have come a long way since the first year's run. We're now up to 4-years aged and have been named the official spirit of Virginia. It's worth another taste. We now also offer individual gift sets with a mini-bottle. www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/distillery/distilled-spirits-at-mount-vernon/george-washington-whiskey-gift-set/
my family built grist mills all over our state during that time period. the one closest to us was finally demolished in 1974 (very. sad). we got to keep some of the wood from it.
What a neat heritage you have from your family. That was quite a specialty and from this video I see how complex it is to build...I doubt it could be easily replicated today..thanks for sharing.
@@loam6740 complacency, sin, and specialization. Im not saying I dont partake, rather, I agree with the gentleman here wishing that times were a bit slower, and simpler.
@@donarthiazi2443 I do as much as I can. Yeah. I still watch TH-cam and eat at restaurants and enjoy some modern conveniences but with taxes, a wife that enjoys modern life lol and everything else it is more of a novelty than anything else unfortunately.
technology has allowed us to conveniently forget so much. one day, we will find ourselves abandoned by it, and the dark ages will start all over again.
Nice intellectual video. I was about buy a smaller version stone grain mill for home available in market. Needed few info. So bigger the diameter of stones finer will be grain flours. Thx.
So cool!! Some questions! It seems so loud, is it hard to hear one another while working there? This mill seems more grand and elaborate than other videos I have seen. How does this mill compare to some that would be for smaller villages? Did or does the mill serve any other function? This other video I watched briefly mentioned grinding glass (for glazing, what does that mean?) and running water through a pipe to keep a liquor still cool. THANKS!! AWESOME VIDEO!!
I don't know about glass but usually a mill would have many functions. 1 is to grind corn into flour as we saw. And 2 is the water-wheel powers a sawmill for cutting lumber. And 3 the water-wheel also assists a blacksmith by keeping a very large hammer simply going up and down so the smith can use its weight/power to shape hot metal.
After the meal comes off the millstones, it is very very hot. This machine, called the hopper boy, dries and cools the meal received from the millstones through a raking motion. Before the Evans system was installed at Washington's gristmill, this process was done manually with rakes.
The original mill was destroyed in the 1850's. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association reconstructed the mill in the exact working standards with a full creating of the Oliver Evans system, the third U.S. patent.
It did not require electricity. Good for the environment. We may wish we had these once the electric grid is overburdened with charging electric vehicles.
You mean economic diversity? I mean sure Washington has a more diverse enterprise given his estate is 8000 acres large and is beside a river, compared to Jefferson's 5000 acres located at a mountaintop...
It's easy today to dismiss this engineering marvel as something outdated and even simple but in reality most people today would not be able to fully understand and explain , let alone create from scratch a gristmill. We've come a long way but we should not forget how revolutionary these things were.
'should not forget how revolutionary these things were'... exactly. I tell my students this all the time with things like the Telegraph that they otherwise would dismiss as something obsolete when it was massively life changing in its time. It's fun to think about how radically people's everyday lives were transformed by such innovation!
Crazy engineering that went into these
I've always been fascinated by grist mills, and it's amazing how much power there is in water. But the main thing that I think of is it's not very sanitary compared to how modern day processing plants are required to be. Somehow the people for centuries survived potential contamination.
That's what your immune system is for. Everyone is hand sanitizer and antibacterial everything. That's why diseases mutate.
Makes you really question germ theory, doesn't it?
@richenuff01 How is it unsanitary? As long as the grain can be kept dry I see no problem other than than griststones occasionally shedding grit [much more of a problem with coarser grinds like meal] damaging teeth.
If I'd been born two hundred years earlier that's probably where I would have been working
There’s nothing stopping you from finding a mill near you and becoming a volunteer!
Good video, but I wish it had mentioned Oliver Evans and U.S. Patent #3 and how revolutionary this mill was.
This channel did post a separate video about Evans and how Washington saw the value in the design upon signing his patent.
I visited this grist mill several years ago after we saw Mt Vernon and found it fascinating. So many working parts to get the final product.
I grew up within WALKING DISTANCE of this place! It is astonishing! A HELL of a lot of money has been spent on restoring and keeping it that awesome! They actually grind up grain to make RYE alcohol with. They SELL it in more really nice big buildings behind it. Tastes like paint thinner is what I have been told lol...
Our distillers have come a long way since the first year's run. We're now up to 4-years aged and have been named the official spirit of Virginia. It's worth another taste. We now also offer individual gift sets with a mini-bottle. www.mountvernon.org/the-estate-gardens/distillery/distilled-spirits-at-mount-vernon/george-washington-whiskey-gift-set/
Fascinating to see! I'll need to visit this summer.
my family built grist mills all over our state during that time period. the one closest to us was finally demolished in 1974 (very. sad). we got to keep some of the wood from it.
jennifer you are a fool
A fool for sharing her love for wood and grist...Damit!! I love you!!!!
What was the family name that was your family that built the mills?
What a neat heritage you have from your family. That was quite a specialty and from this video I see how complex it is to build...I doubt it could be easily replicated today..thanks for sharing.
How I wish we could get back to the basics such as this.
If you want to mill flour will water no one is stopping you. Why is progress so bad?
@@loam6740 complacency, sin, and specialization. Im not saying I dont partake, rather, I agree with the gentleman here wishing that times were a bit slower, and simpler.
@@mikee5208
You and the OP have it in your power to live in this fashion.
@@donarthiazi2443 I do as much as I can. Yeah. I still watch TH-cam and eat at restaurants and enjoy some modern conveniences but with taxes, a wife that enjoys modern life lol and everything else it is more of a novelty than anything else unfortunately.
@@mikee5208
Me too. Exactly the same
Fascinating!
Wonderful!
technology has allowed us to conveniently forget so much. one day, we will find ourselves abandoned by it, and the dark ages will start all over again.
wow.. that was cool
Nice intellectual video. I was about buy a smaller version stone grain mill for home available in market. Needed few info. So bigger the diameter of stones finer will be grain flours. Thx.
So cool!! Some questions!
It seems so loud, is it hard to hear one another while working there?
This mill seems more grand and elaborate than other videos I have seen. How does this mill compare to some that would be for smaller villages?
Did or does the mill serve any other function? This other video I watched briefly mentioned grinding glass (for glazing, what does that mean?) and running water through a pipe to keep a liquor still cool.
THANKS!! AWESOME VIDEO!!
I don't know about glass but usually a mill would have many functions. 1 is to grind corn into flour as we saw.
And 2 is the water-wheel powers a sawmill for cutting lumber.
And 3 the water-wheel also assists a blacksmith by keeping a very large hammer simply going up and down so the smith can use its weight/power to shape hot metal.
"Back in the day" Being a Miller was a craft, not a job.
Wow
Ur absolutely beautiful
What was the raking of the flour for?
After the meal comes off the millstones, it is very very hot. This machine, called the hopper boy, dries and cools the meal received from the millstones through a raking motion. Before the Evans system was installed at Washington's gristmill, this process was done manually with rakes.
George Washington's Mount Vernon oh alright. That's pretty kool
@@mountvernon that’s weird. We never do that! We just keep the flour at about hand temperature, and then it’s fine.
Everything looks new inside the mill. Is this a reproduction of how the mill operated during Washington’s time, or has it been updated?
The original mill was destroyed in the 1850's. The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association reconstructed the mill in the exact working standards with a full creating of the Oliver Evans system, the third U.S. patent.
@@mountvernon Thank you!
Its basically like modern factory, but withou electronics
Where’s this mill which states of America someone knows it ? tell me
It did not require electricity. Good for the environment.
We may wish we had these once the electric grid is overburdened with charging electric vehicles.
💚🤘🏿
WHO GOT LINKED HERE BY HISTORY TEACHER, EH?
enjoyed the passion of this project. LIKED and SUBSCRIBED and will check out your other contact - see ya Pard - LT 1st MINN sharpshooters
What I dont understand is why there arent any water wheels in africa? Surely if they made them here they made them over there. Cheers
HaHaHa yeah right
I live right down the street and I fish there...
💚💚💚💚 Flour and a silent comedy library after study so much chemistry , physics ect in life …..ect…..tbc……-g-b, bot
Fas
cin
at
ing...🇺🇸
GW making America Great so long ago...🇺🇸
I feel the rayscism of an intelligent white man!!! Argh!! He built that mill on Ray Sizm!
That’s the history snow flake. Doesn’t have anything to do with the story of this mill.
@@jllafoy8605 snow flake is ray sjism too!!! I'm going to my safe place!!!!!🍑🤸🤼🏃🏃🏃🏃
@@jukeboxhero1649 why are you triggered at a old mill my guy
Bu wha ha haaaa
It is obvious that Washington had much diversity than Jefferson . . .
Arna G. Smith what?
That comment is non-sensical...
Really? Care to exp[ain that?
Arna G Smith is an agitator that loves to stir the pot way more than learning about history.
You mean economic diversity? I mean sure Washington has a more diverse enterprise given his estate is 8000 acres large and is beside a river, compared to Jefferson's 5000 acres located at a mountaintop...