Maryland

Old Wye Mill, Wye Mills, Maryland (38.941704, -76.081093)

Primary Mill         Felling Dates: Winter 1753/4, Spring 1751

Framing around the Millstones         Felling Dates:Winter 1841/2, Winter 1840/1

Old Wye Mill is one of the earliest industrial sites in continuous use on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It is composed of a small, water-powered grist mill featuring an iron overshot wheel. The mill retains almost all of its late 19th / early 20th century milling equipment.

Dendrochronological analysis has shown that the frame building was constructed from timbers felled in the spring of 1751 and the winter of 1753/4, suggesting that the building was constructed in the winter of 1753/4 or shortly thereafter. These dates also suggest the building was built in one construction phase. The inserted framing around the millstones provided a felling date of the winter of 1840/1, matching the 1840 date carved into the crossbeam in that section of the building. The wooden crane used to move the millstones provided a felling date of the winter of 1841/2, making it contemporary with the millstone framing

Worthington, M J and Seiter, J I 2021 “The Tree-Ring Dating of Old Wye Mill, Wye Mills, Maryland,” Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory Report 2021/01

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