The Threat
The events of April 5th, 2024 changed the future for Taylor's Grist Mill. The 4.8-magnitude earthquake damaged the northeast corner of the building, which now needs emergency stabilization. Thankfully, the corner pictured above (damaged in 2022) had been repacked or the damage could have been monumentally worse.
The biggest threat the building currently faces is instability caused by the earthquake. Much of the mortar between the stones had already eroded away, making the structure less secure. The violent vibration of the quake, centered less than 3 miles away, jostled these stones, particularly in the front facade. The Friends has reached out through its network to architecture and engineering experts to gather preliminary opinions about the damage and the potential costs to guaranteed the mill's stability.
Taylor's Mill is special for a variety of reasons. America's Revolutionary War era sites are disappearing. An event so formative to our country's past shaped a history that should be recognized and celebrated. Taylor's Mill, the mill that fed Washington's troops, reminds us that without places that tell these stories, our heritage could be lost forever.
Though part of an honorary National Register historic district, such a designation provides little protection. The Friends of Col. John Taylor's Grist Mill have responded to ensure the mill survives to tell the stories of early America.