The Old Mill

Nantucket Historical Association

Mill Hill

A National HistoricMechanical Engineering Landmark

Designated October 3, 1992

The American Society ofMechanical Engineers

THE OLD MILLHistorical Significanceof the Landmark

Windmills were first constructed by the English asearly as 1200 A.D. and their general use throughoutEurope had developed reasonably well by the timethey arrived in North America. However, theearliest settlers initially chose to adopt the methodsalready in use by the native Americans. Thesemethods involved the use of two stones. One largestone would have a cavity in which the grain to beground was placed, and the second smaller stonewas placed on top of the grain in that cavity. Thesmaller stone was then rotated until the desired

Mills such as thiswere constructed inmany locationsthroughout theUnited States wheregrains were grownand efficientgrinding facilitieswere not available.With the applicationof wind power tothis process, thestone-age methodsbecame inefficientand outdated.Then in the 19th

effect was obtained.

century, suchsignificant advanceswere made in theuse of water powerthat the millingindustry became

possible and took detailednotes on their structure andmechanics. This led to theplan for the “Old Mill,”which was constructed in1746. This mill is known asa smock-type mill becauseof its shape and generalappearance, very similar tothe Dutch mills. InitiallyNantucketers laughed atWilbur’s wild scheme andoffered no assistance to the financing orconstruction of the mill. When its benefits becameevident, he was vindicated and became somewhatof a folk hero in the area.

The mill exists today on its original foundation onMill Hill and is the first of four mills constructed onNantucket. The mill contains over 80 percent of itsoriginal materials, which consists of wooden beamsand planking that were materials from shipwreckedvessels washed ashore on Nantucket. The granitemillstones were quarried in Quincy, Massachusetts,in 1745.

The Old Mill is believedto be the largest andoldest windmill in theUnited States still inoperating condition andopen to the public on aregular basis.

In fall 1984 the Old Mill grindingstones were redressed by CharlesHowell, a fifth-generation miller,of Sleepy Hollow Restoration,Tarrytown, New York.

regionalized and local windmills were unable tocompete.

Harnessing the year-round winds on Nantucketcame through the vision of Nathan Wilbur in the18th century. A Nantucket sailor, Nathan Wilbur,had visited Holland many times and observed theirmany windmills. Recognizing that the islandneeded an efficient process for grinding locallygrown grains and that winds were plentiful andconsistent on Nantucket, he saw the windmill as asolution. He observed as many Dutch mills as

Description of the Landmark

Sitting on a stone foundation, the windmill is a 50-foot octagonal structure with three floor levels. Ithas a revolving pent roof, or “cap,” which is movedin order to turn the 30-foot-long vanes (to which thesails are lashed) into the prevailing winds. The capturns on its circular wooden base, which fits into aslotted circle at the top of the basic structure. Thecap is turned from the ground by moving a 50-foottail pole, which is permanently attached.

Eight posts frame the exterior wall of the tower andrun from the sills to the eaves. All floor and wallframing is mortised, tenoned, and hickory-pegged,and with few exceptions, date from 1746. Theprimary structural wood is oak. Doors and windows

are plank-framed with a single shutter hinged toeach window frame.

The interior mechanism is remarkable from anengineering standpoint. The vanes turn a huge gearmechanism made of wood, with some ironreinforcement. In turn, the moving gears force thetop grinding stone to revolve. A wooden brakegoverns the speed of the vanes and stone. At thepresent time, the mill operation produces 5,000pounds of meal from corn during the summerseason.

Designation

students, educators, historians, and travelers. Ithelps establish persistent reminders of where wehave been and where we are going along thedivergent paths of discovery.

The lantern wheel and main drivegear are parts of the grindingmechanism visible on the third floor.

The Old Mill is the105th NationalHistoric MechanicalEngineeringlandmark to bedesignated. Sincethe ASME HistoricMechanicalEngineeringRecognitionProgram began in1971, 153 HistoricMechanicalEngineeringLandmarks, 7MechanicalEngineeringHeritage Sites, and3 Mechanical

West side of the Old Mill under sail.

The History and HeritageProgram of the ASME

Engineering Heritage Collections have beenrecognized. Each reflects its influence on society,either in its immediate locale, nationwide, orthroughout the world.

An ASME landmark represents a progressive stepin the evolution of mechanical engineering. Sitedesignations note an event or development of clearhistorical importance to mechanical engineers.Collections mark the contributions of a number ofobjects with special significance to the historicaldevelopment of mechanical engineering.

The ASME Historic Mechanical EngineeringRecognition Program illuminates our technologicalheritage and serves to encourage the preservation ofthe physical remains of historically important works.It provides an annotated roster for engineers,

The ASME History and Heritage RecognitionProgram began in September 1971. To implementand achieve its goals, ASME formed a History andHeritage Committee, initially composed ofmechanical engineers, historians of technology, andcurator (emeritus) of mechanical engineering at theSmithsonian Institution. The Committee provides apublic service by examining, noting, recording, andacknowledging mechanical engineeringachievements of particular significance. TheHistory and Heritage Committee is part of theASME Council on Public Affairs and Board onPublic Information. For further information pleasecontact Public Information, American Society ofMechanical Engineers, 345 East 47 Street, NewYork, NY 10017-2392, 212-705-7740, fax 212-705-7143.

The American Society ofMechanical Engineers

Joseph A. Falcon, P.E., President

Thomas S. Doherty, Vice President, Region I

Donald W. Kitchin, Jr., P.E.,History and Heritage, Region I

Thomas D. Pestorius, Senior Vice President,Council on Public Affairs

Lorraine A. Kincaid, Vice President,Board on Public Information

David L. Belden, Executive Director

Harold A. Kieman, Director,Northeast Regional Office

The ASME Boston Section

Theordor Bardasz, Chair

Jeffrey S. Willis, Vice Chair

Satish Maripuri, Treasurer

Scott Baraclough, Secretary

George Ingram, member

The History and Heritage Committee of ASME

Euan F.C. Somerscales, Chair

Robert M. Vogel, Secretary

Robert B. Gaither

Richard S. Hartenberg, P.E., Emeritus

R. Michael Hunt, P.E.

James L. Lee, P.E.

John H. Lienhard

Joseph van Overveen, P.E.

William J. Warren, P.E.

Carron Garvin-Donohue, Staff Liaison

Diane Kaylor, Public Information

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LANDMARKTHE OLD MILL

NATIONAL HISTORIC

1746THIS “SMOCK” TYPE WINDMILL, CONSTRUCTED BY NATHANWILBUR, PROBABLY IS THE OLDEST OPERATING WINDMILL INTHE UNITED STATES. MOST OF ITS PARTS ARE ORIGINAL.

WINDMILLS ARE AMONG THE EARLIEST DEVICES FORCONVERTING FLUID ENERGY TO MECHANICAL ENERGY. THEYALSO REPRESENT ONE OF THE SOURCES OF MECHANICALTECHNOLOGY, THEIR GEARS AND BEARINGS SUBSEQUENTLYBEING DEVELOPED INTO IMPORTANT MECHANICALCOMPONENTS.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS 1992

Nantucket Historical Association

Paul A. Wolf, Jr., Acting President

Maurice E. Gibbs, Executive Director

Mark W. Fortenberry, Curator of Structures

Richard P. Swain, Miller

Diane Ucci, Director of Education

Peter S. McGlashan, Registrar and Audio/Visual Librarian

George Ingram, member

Acknowledgments

The Boston Section of ASME and the Nantucket HistoricalAssociation gratefully acknowledge the efforts andcontributions of all who participated in the landmarkdesignation of the Old Mill:

Mark Fortenberry, Curator of Structures, NantucketHistorical Association, for providing the necessary historicand technical information on the Old Mill.

George Ingram, a resident of Nantucket and a member ofASME and the NHA, for his inspiration, time, and effort inworking toward getting the Old Mill landmark designation.

Diane Ucci, Director of Education, Nantucket HistoricalAssociation, for design and layout of the brochure.

cover:woodcut of the Old Milldone by Nantucket artistHoward Fraker

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