Peirce Mill: Two Hundred Years in the Nation’s Capital
Local preservationist Steve Dryden offers a comprehensive history of one of the few remaining symbols of Washington, D.C.’s agrarian past and a reminder that Washington is a hometown with a rich history beyond the monuments on the Mall. Available from Politics and Prose bookstore, Amazon.com and the Nature Center in Rock Creek Park.
Peirce Mill Restoration FHC e-magazine
Journalist Lee Cannon writes about the barrel hoist restoration project completed in April 2016. “…there were times when the miller needed to move grain or meal without sending it through the entire system. Thus the need for a device to move heavy loads up and down the mill, a role filled before by strong men or, at best, a pulley system. Enter, the barrel hoist.” Read More…
Rock Creek Park A to Z
Page by page, letter by letter, this book uncovers the history and natural beauty of this National Park located in the heart of the Nation’s Capital.
Check out P is for Peirce for a detailed and interesting history of the Peirce family, Peirce Mill and the evolution of agrarian Washington County to industrial Rock Creek valley.
Available at the Rock Creek Nature Center and Politics & Prose Bookstore.
Milling Organizations
- Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM)
Dedicated to the restoration of mills and acts as a clearing house on milling information - SPOOM Mid-Atlantic Chapter (SPOOM-MA)
Carries out the SPOOM mission in the District of Columbia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia - The International Molinological Society (TIMS)
An international organization focusing on the study of mills and their preservation
Preservation Groups
- Rock Creek Conservancy
A nonprofit group working to protect the lands and waters of Rock Creek and revitalize Rock Creek Park for people to treasure and enjoy. - National Trust for Historic Preservation
The principal organization dedicated to the preservation of the nation’s heritage - Association for Preservation Technology-DC
A DC-area group exploring technical issues in historic preservation - Society for Industrial Archeology
An international organization for the study and preservation of industrial heritage
Other Area Mills
- Colvin Run Mill
A reconstructed 1810 mill in Fairfax County, Virginia - George Washington’s Grist Mill
A reconstruction of Washington’s 1770s mill near his Mount Vernon home - Gambrill’s Mill
An 1830 mill at Monocacy National Battlefield near Frederick, Maryland - Wye Mill
A 1671 mill on Maryland’s Eastern Shore - Aldie Mill
This 1807 brick merchant mill is located near Middleburg, Virginia - Union Mills
Located in Union Mills, Maryland, about 17 miles south of Gettysburg, Pa. The Union Mills Homestead is now a museum of American culture.
General Information on Milling
- General Milling Information
Site explains how grist mills work, including drawings.