News and events sponsored by Yates Mill Associates
Stop by this page to see the latest news and events sponsored by Yates Mill Associates, the non-profit founded in 1989 by a group of local history buffs to restore, preserve, and operate Yates Mill. Built in 1756, Yates Mill is the only fully restored and operational automatic mill in North Carolina and one of just a few historic automated water mills in the United States.
We Are Back to the Grind!
We are hosting corn grinding weekends again at Yates Mill! Come see Yates Mill in action as we grind corn into cornmeal.
- Tours are scheduled for June 20-21.
- We will not grind in July and August, due to heat.
- Corn grinding weekends will be scheduled for September, October, and November.
- We will not grind in December, January, or February, due to the cold.
For more information about hours and tours, check out our Visit page.
Replacing the Waterwheel at Yates Mill
The waterwheel at Yates Mill was replaced in 2025. Outliving its projected lifespan by a decade, the waterwheel at Yates Mill had deteriorated to the point that repairs were no longer possible. Since all of the power found at Yates Mill is supplied by the waterwheel, we could no longer grind corn safely. Ben Hassett, an experienced wheelwright, rebuilt the waterwheel at Yates Mill in 2025.
Story in The News and Observer