Recognize this? No? Then you are one of nearly half the world's population that is less than 25 years of age. If you do recognize this, then you are probably scratching your head wondering what is she talking about? What has this got to do with New Jersey? As the story goes, my 8 year old (at the time) asked me what this thing was. "A Phone" I said, "This doesnt look like a phone" and so began a lesson in what things looked like in a not too distant past. If your kids are intrigued about times gone by when their (and your) day to day lives were not affected by the "i..fillinthegap.." of the Apple revolution, then you might want to visit these two Mills in New Jersey.
Red Mill along Raritan River in Clinton and Prallsville mill along the Delaware river in Stockton.
I visited both places sometime in fall so I apologize if the fall imagery brings you memories of cold weather even while your Bradford Pears and Cherry Blossoms are in bloom now.
Red Mill happen to get on the agenda as school trip. Thankfully there was not enough room for the parents on the yellow bus so I got to ride with another parent and managed to carry the camera. It was a dull gray rainy day but what the weather lacked, the activities made up for it.
Red Mill is a small complex of a large main mill and a few smaller buildings housing the blacksmith (my favorite), a school house (with candle making), barrack house, a log house, lime kilns. There is also a four story mill with a museum with a wonderful collection of mill memorabilia as well as everyday life objects.
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| Mill and the Raritan River |
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| Old School house and the log cabin |
My favorite part was the museum. So much detail on the mill itself and countless objects to photograph in low light.....here are some for you to enjoy. It had a foot operated singer machine (none of the kids had any idea that clothes were actually sewn and not bought in a mall), spools of yarn and an entire glass cabinet of beauty products. Now we need a Sephora in every block to keep up with beauty and that too without much success.
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| Nostalgia Galore! |
I must admit that Prallsville mill was my preferred mill. It could be because I visited it as part of photgraphy group or that it was a bright sunny day or that we visited during one of their craft days. Whatever the reason, the natural areas surrounding the mill and the group of buildings make it a more exciting place for adults to visit. Don't forget to take your bikes with you for a ride along the river. I am not sure kids would have as much of a learning experience at Prallsville as at Redmill.
The long shadows of the nearby tree in the morning sun, frost on the ground and all that expensive paraphenalia that my group carried made the visit interesting. Unfortunately we could not go inside the mill and observe the workings. I need to give a shout out to the Delaware River Mill Society for a fabulous job on the ongoing restoration and maintenance of the grounds. The Mill is also open for private functions, what a venue for a fall wedding (hmmm...may be I can convince J to renew our 25 year vows there this year........)
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| Craft fair at the Prallsville Mill |
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| Beautiful Grounds of the Mill |
After spending what seemed like a very very short time on the grounds (need to make another trip soon), we went across the highway to the Pralls house (the gentleman who owned and operated the mill in the late 1700s). I spent one too many moments with the play of the morning light on an oak dining chair and lost track my of my group.
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| The Mill society was hosting a thanksgiving in the country day |
By the time I got out of the Pralls house, my group was already halfway up the steepest climb I have seen this side of the Delaware: in search of a cemetery. At the top of the hill, overlooking the pond and next to a field was the most serene cemetery. Most of the tombstones had to be of the Pralls family. They indeed rested in peace and on what seems like heaven on their piece of land.
I do hope you get to visit these mills and if you do, please share your thoughts here...
