During his ownership of the Longfellow’s Wayside Inn, industrialist Henry Ford built this water-powered stone reproduction of a grist mill in 1929. He wanted to educate visitors on the importance milling has played throughout history.

Constructed near the original location of the 1700s grist mill the original owners built, the new version ground its first cornmeal on Thanksgiving in 1929.

For many years, it was used to grind flour for Pepperidge Farms’ baked goods, and it the inspiration for the company logo.

It is now used to grind grains used to make baked goods and muffins for the Wayside Inn restaurant.

The interior is open for demonstrations most weekends, when, to be honest, the place is a bit of a mob scene.