The Millstone Project

For several years we lived in a c. 1804 center chimney cape house in Connecticut. In 2020, while managing the 16 acre estate, we made a most amazing discovery; a 54 inch colonial-era millstone lining the top of the old home-site well! Neither the current landowner nor the town historian were aware of its existence. It had almost been lost to time.

In the town's original records, we were able to identify that this millstone was likely created in 1706 by Thomas Norton (3rd generation miller) who founded the estate we were managing and served as the town miller from 1701-1726. In addition to creating a new millstone, he was charged with converting the mill to an overshot waterwheel. Cut from local granite and believed to be the bedstone, it now rests in 3 separate pieces. Evidence of its time in service can be seen in significant areas of glazing in more than one of the sections.

To discover this historic artifact and be able to place it within the context of history has been a once in a lifetime experience!