Millstones from Emison Mills
The larger millstone is made from French Buhr cut into wedge-shaped pieces and bound together by a heavy metal loop. A “stand” is made of two similar stones, the “upper stone” rotating on the “nether stone” to grind wheat and corn. Both of these stones were used at Emison Mills.
The stones are one of three stands hauled by Thomas Emison from Georgetown, Kentucky, to Knox County, Indiana. In 1804, Emison built his home and Mill on Maria Creek.
Emison’s Mill was designed with room for three stands of millstones - two for corn, one for wheat - in addition to a sash saw for cutting timber. It was operated with oxen until 1807 when the court established Emison’s right to dam Maria Creek and construct an underpass water wheel. It was capable of grinding 25 barrels of flour and 100 bushels of corn a day.
The millstones continued in use at the original location until 1879 when the wheat mill was moved to Vincennes and named “Atlas Mills”. Shortly thereafter the steel roller process was installed, and the millstones were removed. The corn mill was moved to Vincennes in 1891 and named “Baltic Mills”, it has continued in operation to this day.
Marker is on Park Street east of East Scott Street, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
