Information and Services Available from Pond Lily Mill Restorations
My grandfather was a millwright. My father was building mill dams during the 1930's, and one of the dams he constructed was for Drake's Mills, that I would later work in. I grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania with a love and understanding for water mills and mill technology. I have spent years studying mills. I realized when I became interested in the subject that it was near the end of an era. Books are helpful, but there were few in local libraries. In reading the books I had available, I realized they were rarely written by people with practical experience. I wanted to learn the way the old-timers had, by hands-on experience. I developed friendships with several millers and millwrights and gained this knowledge from them about what had been their life's occupation. So I learned from millers, millstone dressers, and millwrights who had learned in the same way.
A millwright learns his trade as an apprentice. And over time, he builds his skills to become a master millwright. A good millwright knows how to go about milling, so everything is right. He puts love and care into everything he does. A good millwright is a craftsman who takes pride in his work. Mr. Hazen is a master miller and millwright. He was the miller and millwright at the Pierce Mill (a four story Oliver Evans Mill), in Rock Creek Park, Washington, D. C., from September 1984 until June 1995. Mr. Hazen has dressed millstones and acted as a milling consultant on a number of mills. Since August 1994, he has been an authorized service representative, millwright and millstone dresser for the Meadows Mill Company. He was an apprentice miller and millwright from May 1973 to May 1978 at Zortman's Flour & Feed Mill. He has been employed in several operating mills, both commercial and public. Mr. Hazen shares his knowledge with others as an author of articles and cartoons in the publication OLD MILL NEWS. He is an active member of the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills, and is on their Board of Directors. He is also on their Technical Advisory Committee and Editorial & Article Review Committee. Mr. Hazen is a lifetime member of the International Molinological Society, as well as others.
o MILLSTONE DRESSER- Provides services of regrooving the millstone furrows, reducing high spots, laying out furrows, cracking the millstone, leveling the bed stone, truing the millstone spindle, balancing the runner stone. Millstone dressing may also be used as a form of demonstration. o INSPECTION SITE EVALUATION- Investigate a site, building, complex, interior machinery, processes; collect information and data. o MILLING CONSULTATION- Discuss, decide and plan options; give technical and professional advice; develop plan of action and options. o RESEARCH- Investigate the mill's history, changes in technology & machinery. This may involve genealogical research, property records, company records, library and archives sources, personal interviews, etc. o DESIGN- Make plans, preliminary sketches, patterns to recreate the original plans that may have been lost; make current sets of plans; develop sets of plans to improve current and/or past operations. o MODELS- Create scale copy of an existing object. Recreation of an object or site. Create cut away view of a building, machinery. Static or operable model. For display or presentation. o ILLUSTRATION- Provide a diagram or art work to tell a story, explain a process. For use in posters, folders, displays, art works, or reports. o INTERPRETATION- Use a developed interpretive plan and presentation for educational purposes. Developed for a variety of age groups and interests, to express concepts, processes, technology, and history. o INTERPRETIVE PLANNING- Develop an interpretive program, create outlines, objectives, visual aids, slides, games, tools, hands on material. A plan of action for an interpreter to follow. o REPORTS (WITH COSTS ESTIMATES, CONSTRUCTION DETAILS)- Use investigation to prepare a presentation, develop a formal statement for a plan of action. May include photos, drawings, plans, text, history, and a solution with various options and costs. o LECTURE- Present program to class, workshop, special interest group. May include visual aids. o MILLING- Produce meal and flour products in a mill, for production or demonstration. o DEMONSTRATION- Display, show millwork process to public. Period costume and use of period tools available. o APPRENTICESHIPS (TEACHING) - Teach the craft of milling, millstone dressing. Initiatory training over a set period to teach the novice mill operation and maintenance, and the production art of flour & grain milling in their own mill. o WORKSHOPS - A seminar for discussing or studying a subject, solving problems, teaching a process or method. For example a workshop may be done on "Millstone Dressing," that may last several hours to a full day. An example of a three day to a full week workshop may be, "Hands-On Workshops for Architectural Documentation and Interpretation of Historic Buildings and Sites." The theory and practices of documenting historic buildings, sites, and districts from initial assessment to written analysis, photographs, and/or drawings. Application of the principles of stabilization, restoration, and utilization of historic structures and sites to museum interpretation or in historic preservation nominations of historic buildings or districts. Field Methods in Preservation Technology Intensive on-site fieldwork experience addressing issues of architectural conservation and historic building technology. Includes methods, techniques, and theories of preservation technology and accepted conservation practices. o HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING - Design of water systems, determine available and required horse power of machinery. Develop and design layout of hydraulic systems that include: Mill dam, head and tail mill races, sluice box, overflows, gates using natural streams and artificially pumped water systems, etc.
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