ABSTRACT
The concept of using water to supply power for grinding grain was developed in antiquity. Gristmills were often the first industrial buildings in a North American community, and during the eighteenth century, thousands of mills were operating in the colonies. Few hamlets lacked a mill, and many streams boasted more than one. For example, a small stream near New Preston, Connecticut, supplied the power for nearly 30 mills. Most were gristmills, but others were used to press apples for cider or linseed for oil, to saw wood, or to make plaster, among other tasks.
