The Historic Cooper Gristmill | Chester Township, New Jersey

Cooper Gristmill

Nathan Cooper built the Cooper Gristmill in 1876 in lovely and historic Chester Township, New Jersey.

The mill is still in limited operation, grinding flour.

According to the Morris County Park Commission website:

Cooper Gristmill, located on 14 acres, was built in 1826 and is one of the remaining restored water-powered mills in New Jersey. It is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. It is a living example of the state’s transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy.

The website continues:

In the 1760s, Isaiah Younglove began a flour milling operation that lasted until 1788. Over the years, the mill went through several owners, with the present mill purchased by Retired General Nathan Cooper. He purchased the original mill in 1825 for $750, which included a gristmill and sawmill powered by two wooden water wheels. In 1826, General Cooper built the four-story gristmill that is standing today.

You can visit the mill on Fridays and Sundays from April through October, the Park website says:

Your journey continues on a guided 45-minute tour with a master miller. In period costume, the master miller explains the history and operation of the mill and the vibrant community once called Milltown. The miller will actually run the mill’s restored machinery so you can watch the massive water wheel power shafts and gears in action.

Witness the amazing power of the Black River as it is harnessed to turn a steel water wheel that grinds grains into flour using two sets of the massive 2,000-pound millstones. These two huge grinding stones can produce up to 800 pounds of flour per hour. Inside the mill, you can see the amazing technology at work hearing, smelling, feeling, and seeing the inner workings of the mill!

The Black River

There are trails to follow around the gristmill. The water power is derived from the Black River.

Harnessing water from the Black River that flows behind the mill, 2000-pound millstones turn grain into flour.

This is the only water-powered gristmill in the state that still produces flour.

The waterwheel that provides the power weighs 6 tons.

Further Reading and Viewing

Here is a video showing the gristmill demonstration:

This is an absolutely lovely video showing the beauty of the place. This video is by FPV Walks. Check out their YouTube Channel!

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