Tuesday, February 24, 2009



The Thomas Shepherd Grist Mill

From the information on the National Register of Historic Places web site


The Shepherd Grist Mill was built prior to 1739 and operated for over two centuries in Shepherdstown, formerly Mecklenburg, which is the oldest town in what is now West Virginia. It was originally settled in 1719.
The mill stands on High Street which leads to the Pack Horse Ford crossing of the Potomac River and was the former Indian Trail across the Potomac River. It became known to the early settlers as the Philadelphia Wagon Road into the upper Shenandoah River.
Thomas Shepherd’s mill started a trend in mill building in the mid-1700’s as local farmers grew wheat and needed to market their produce. Shepherdstown became a focal point on the Potomac to get the farmers produce to markets down the river.
There were over 31 listed grist or merchant mills in Jefferson County which served markets in Alexandria to Philadelphia. Thomas Shepherd inaugurated a “bread basket” for the growing nation.
The large 40 foot Fitz Steel Overshoot Water Wheel seen today was moved from its original location 100 yards further downstream on the Town Run into its location next to the mill.

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