National Register of Historic Places

Stony Brook Grist Mill

Stony Brook, Suffolk County, New York
Listed
August 2, 1990
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
90001140

About this property

The Stony Brook Grist Mill is a Registered Historic Place property in Stony Brook, Suffolk County, New York. Its construction in 1699 created the Mill Pond astride the Brookhaven-Smithtown boundary. The mill structure itself dates back to at least circa 1751. The Stony Brook Grist Mill, Long Island's most fully operational mill, features on both the National and New York State Registers of Historic Places. In the late 1800s, a vineyard flourished on the island within the Mill Pond's confines. Catawba grapes, harvested from this vineyard, underwent pressing and fermentation within the Stony Brook Grist Mill. The resulting wine was then bottled in Brooklyn and distributed through a nearby tavern. Even into the 1950s, local farmers continued to rely on the mill's services, bringing their wheat and corn for grinding. Miller Schaefer specialized in milling natural wheat, producing "health food" that gained popularity nationwide, with shipments reaching customers in 42 states. Flooding from an August 2024 storm collapsed the roadway adjacent to the mill, emptying the mill pond into the harbor. The mill was not damaged but required cleanup after being buried in sand. Today the Ward Melville Heritage Organization owns and operates the mill as a working mill museum. Media related to Stony Brook Grist Mill at Wikimedia Commons Ward Melville Heritage Organization: Stony Brook Grist Mill New York Times, December 13, 1992, " Stony Brook Gristmill Is Grinding Again"

Location

Stony Brook, Suffolk County, New York
40.91381, -73.14612

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

St. James Chapel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Mallows, The
Industrial
0.3 mi
East Farm
Listed
0.4 mi
Mount, William Sydney, House
Industrial
0.6 mi
Longbotham, Nathaniel, House
Industrial
0.8 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Setauket Aug 22 1777
1777Revolutionary War
1.4 mi
Raid on Setauket
1777Revolutionary War
2.5 mi
Battle of Setauket
1777Revolutionary War
2.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Stony Brook Grist Mill listed on the National Register?

Stony Brook Grist Mill was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1990.

What type of historic resource is Stony Brook Grist Mill?

Stony Brook Grist Mill is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Stony Brook Grist Mill?

The period of significance for Stony Brook Grist Mill is recorded as the industrial era.

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