Corn Grinding Tours at Historic Yates County Park

Date: Sat, May 23, 2026

Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Venue: Historic Yates County Park, Raleigh

Price:

Category: Outdoors

Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC Historic Yates Mill County Park, at 6420 Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh, is a 174-acre wildlife refuge and an environmental research center. The centerpiece is the Historic Yates Mill, which is the last operable water-powered gristmill in Wake County. The mill is on the National Register of Historic Places and was restored to working order in 2005. Admission to the park is free. Tours of the historic gristmill are offered for free on weekends at designated times from March through November. Visit the park’s website for information about guided mill tours. You can also enjoy other programs at the park (click here for details) or you can explore the park on your own. Read on to see what’s coming up, as well as to learn more about the park and the mill. Jump to a list of upcoming events, or keep reading to learn more about the park. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC The water-powered gristmill has been operational for more than 200 years. There were once 70 gristmills in Wake County, and this is the only one that is still in operation. Gristmills are used for grinding corn, wheat and other grains into flour. A stream of water is guided into a waterwheel. This provides the power to rotate large millstones that crush the grain into smaller pieces. You'll find gristmills near a source of running water, like a waterfall, or a dam. Modern mills, on the other hand, use electricity to spin heavy steel or cast iron rollers. In rural areas, before there were towns, gristmills were gathering spots for fishing, swimming and picnicking. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC Today, you can fish at Historic Yates Mill County Park. There are also walking trails, gardens, a picnic area, and interpretive exhibits and trails. Photo: Mace Publishing, LLC Public Programs at Historic Yates Mill County Park Find the most current list of public programs on Yate Mill's website. Here’s some of what’s coming up. Follow the links to register or to get more information. Mill Open HouseS