2009 Newsletters

Newsletter Articles from 2009

As Yates Mill was restored, Yates Mill Associates published and mailed paper newsletters to keep supporters informed on the progress and to share historical discoveries.

Here are some articles from 2009.

  • Extreme Makeover: Artifact Edition Yates Mill – Artifact Conservation Treatment by Allison Ribaudo
  • The Miller’s Corner – Shed Repairs by William Robbins

John Clauser, a retired conservator from the NC Department of Archeology is helping conserve artifacts found around the mill stream at Yates Mill. Some have been identified, such as a mechanical file, plow points, ax heads, horseshoes, and a star bit for a machine drill. Others are yet to be identified. Electrolysis is used to clean the artifacts, which are then sprayed with tannic acid to prevent future rusting. The shed porch floor and timber frame sills at Yates Mill were repaired. New sill beams of yellow pine were treated with rods made of a borate compound to retard both rot and insect damage. New white oak flooring was milled and installed using authentic nails made on a machine manufactured in the late 1800s. New guard railings were installed on the east side of the porch as well as a copper rain diverter on the roof, which redirects the flow of water away from the mill.

To see more information about the history of Yates Mill and the role Yates Mill Associates played in restoring the mill, visit the A.E. Finley Center at Historic Yates Mill County Park to see displays, view artifacts, and watch videos of the mill in action.