George Washington's Gristmill

George Washington's Gristmill is a two-story stone building with multiple sets of millstones powered by a large water wheel. The structure sits along a creek and displays the grain-processing techniques used in the 18th century.

Washington built this mill in 1771 along a creek as a commercial grain-processing center for his estate. The building used materials from Mount Vernon's timber and stones from the Potomac River.

The mill was closely tied to Mount Vernon's daily operations, providing ground grain for both the household and the livestock on the estate. This connection shows how grain milling was essential to sustaining a large plantation community.

The site is open on weekends during the season and demonstrates traditional grain-processing methods in action. Wear sturdy shoes, as the grounds are uneven and the pathways to the building can be steep.

In 1791 the mill installed one of America's earliest automated milling systems that moved grain mechanically through multiple processing stages. This innovation was ahead of its time in grain-milling technology.