This stone-ground flour mill is believed to have been built by Mathew Wiley Sr., who acquired this land, part of a tract called "Good Prospect" between 1771 and 1781. Matthew willed the property to his son David in 1840, who left it in turn, to his sons Joseph and Matthew. Before photos taken by Robert T. Kinsey 05/11/2006

A pen drawing showing the 2 century old Amos Gristmill as it appeared in the 1800-late 1900s. Note, it consisted of a log on frame on stone foundation. A very rare find, probably a historical treasure. The pen & ink sketch was rendered on 08/13/1992 by Gordon Callison www.artbygordy.com

Amos Mill water wheel on February 27, 1968. It was a cold day and water from the flume had frozen over down the sides. Not sure what the barrow in the foreground was used for.

Matthew continued to operate the mill until 1886. After a brief ownership by Joseph Payne it was sold to Isaac Amos on May 4, 1891, whose son, John, began work there as a small boy and has continued to operate it until the dam was damaged in 1967.

This from a newspaper article from 3-13-1963: John Amos still operates his two-centuries-old grist mill in northern Harford County. The first floor of the four-story building houses the inner workings of a large water wheel used to power the grinding equipment. Milling is done on the second floor, where there are also storage bins, a machine for cracking corn into hominy, and a millers office with desk, stove, cot, old ledgers, receipts and bills that would delight any student of early Americana. An old workbench, with tools carved or forged by hand as old as the mill itself, is found on the third floor, where Amos repairs his equipment, but with more modern power tools.

The 75-year-old Amos, in 1963, was born in the mill, where his family lived while their farm home was being built nearby. His parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Amos, purchased the property from a family named Wiley, who were known to build three mills, among which Amos Mill is the only one still in existence. Amos is certain the mill is at least 200 years old, but other pertinent historical data is lacking since records were destroyed when the old Court House at Bel Air burned a century ago.

Several wooden water wheels have worn out since Amos began his milling operation, and in 1926 he purchased a metal wheel from the Fitz Water Wheel Co. at Hanover, Pa. Grinding equipment consists of two sets of burrstones. Originally there were three stones. All of the stones, Amos says, are made of flint and were brought from England GPS: 39' 42.02N, 76' 30.37W 610'186 meters Norrisville Quadrangle

The water wheel area during the demolition/restoration process. Demolition photos taken by Robert T. Kinsey on 05/04/2011

Some piles of reusales during the demolition/teardown of the old log mill. Notice the hurst frame in right foreground and three millstones in left-center.

Another view of the waterwheel axle and the inner bull gear on the right that was and will be again inside the mill, connecting the outer waterwheel with the inner workings of the mill.

Amos Mill as of Oct 21,2011 taken by Soon Kim.

Amos Mill waterheel restoration in progress as of Oct 21, 2011 taken by Soon Kim.

Amos Mill restoration as of Aug. 9, 2011 by Robert T. Kinsey.

The front of the mill after most of the restoration. The water wheel had yet to be finished.