Gray's Mill
Gray’s Grist Mill, one of the oldest, continually running grist mills in New England, is located in Adamsville on the Massachusetts/Rhode Island border.
While its exact date of origin is unknown, most agree that there was a mill on the site sometime before 1700. The first deed of ownership can be traced back to Philip Taber in 1717. The village of Adamsville was known as “Taber’s Mill” until the 1800s and the Adamsville mill pond provided power for the grist mill and a saw mill. In 1751 Taber conveyed the mill to his son Jonathon.
The first, John Hart, purchased the property in 1939 - a time when most grist mills were closing their doors. He went on to run Gray’s Mill for the next 41 years. In 1980, Mr. Hart, then 80 years old, sold the mill to its current owner Ralph Guild.
Documentation
Gray's Mill: Adamsville History
Gray's Mill: Baker Correspondence to Philip Marshall
Gray's Mill: Baker's Lecture on Gray's Grist Mill and Pond Restoration
Gray's Mill: Eligibility for National Register of Historic Places, October 2002
Gray's Mill: Email Correspondence Between Baker and Ralph Guild up to July 19, 2001
Gray's Mill: Email Correspondence regarding Mill Store
Gray's Mill: Email correspondence to Ralph Guild, July 26, 2001
Gray's Mill: Email from Ted Hazen, June 8, 2008
Gray's Mill: Email Reply from Ted Hazen, June 10, 2001
Gray's Mill: Email Reply to Ted Hazen, June 8, 2001
Gray's Mill: Email to Ted Hazen, June 7, 2001
Gray's Mill: Fish Field Protocol
Gray's Mill: Fish Spawning Newspaper Article "Herring home to spawn, be counted"
Gray's Mill: Fish Spawning Poster
Gray's Mill: Gray's Grist Mill, Our Whole Grain Story
Gray's Mill: Grays Mill Pond Dredging
Gray's Mill: History of Gray's Mill
Gray's Mill: Letter to Little Compton Town Council
Gray's Mill: Letter to Scott Rabideau, Natural Resource Service, January 2002
Gray's Mill: National Register Application Draft, Section 8
Gray's Mill: National Register Application Form Section 7, Draft
Gray's Mill: Newspaper Article from Shorelines, September 2001
Gray's Mill: Proposed Dredging Plan for Gray's Mill Pond
Gray's Mill: Proposed for Inclusion in Preservation Restriction
Gray's Mill: Rhode Island Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Application
Images
Gray's Mill 001: Map of Gray's Mill Pond
Gray's Mill 010: Adamsville Pond looking Northeast
Gray's Mill 020: Old View from the East
Gray's Mill 040: Blacksmith, Sawmill and Gray's Mill Store
Gray's Mill 050: Pond with Boat
Gray's Mill 060: The Ice Houses
Gray's Mill 070: Gray's Mill Pond Looking West
Gray's Mill 080: Gray's Mill Store Interior
Gray's Mill 090: Front view of Gray's Mill bag
Gray's Mill 100: Back of Gray's Mill Bag
Gray's Mill 110: Herring Ladder
Gray's Mill 130: Bridge and Fish Ladder
Gray's Mill 140: Older Fish Ladder
Gray's Mill 150: Gray's Mill Pond and Apponagansett
Gray's Mill 180: Gray's Mill Dam Spillway
Gray's Mill 190: Gray's Mill Dam Spillway
Gray's Mill 200: Gray's Mill Pond Spillway Construction
Gray's Mill 210: Opened Spillway
Gray's Mill 220: Turbine and Flume
Gray's Mill 230: Baker examining Turbine
Gray's Mill 240: Slash Gate Finished
Gray's Mill 270: Fallen in Wall
Gray's Mill 290: Pond draining
Gray's Mill 310: More Muck to Dredge
Gray's Mill 340: First Day, Preparing for Mud
Gray's Mill 360: Water Redirected for Dig
Gray's Mill 370: Building Bridge
Gray's Mill 390: Dig Project at Gray's Mill Pond
Gray's Mill 400: Dig Project at Gray's Mill Pond
Gray's Mill 410: Digging at Gray's Mill Pond
Gray's Mill 450: Digging the Pond
Gray's Mill 490: RI DEM and MA DEP numbers
Gray's Mill 510: Restoration, Lining
Gray's Mill 530: Mud during Restoration
Gray's Mill 545: Stones Everywhere
Gray's Mill 550: New Fish Ladder
Gray's Mill 560: Hen House and Mud
Gray's Mill 570: Pond Filled for the Moment
Gray's Mill 600: Final Day of Digging
Gray's Mill 610: Final Day of Digging
Gray's Mill 620: Final Day of Digging
Gray's Mill 630: Ice House Foundation
Gray's Mill 640: Pond Artifact
Gray's Mill 660: View of Gray's Pond
Gray's Mill 670: View of Gray's Pond