As the weather cools and fall begins to fill the area, many people are looking for places to get outside and enjoy nature. One of the best places to go in late summer and early fall is Abbott’s Mill Nature Center.
Abbott’s Mill is the only one of seven that existed in the 18th and 19th centuries near Milford that is still standing. Not only is the building still standing, but the machinery used to operate the mill is still operational. It is also the last of the seven mills to be shut down, operating up until around 1960, producing high grade flour, buckwheat and corn meal.
The mill sits on Johnson’s Branch, a main tributary to the Mispillion River. It is believed the original mill was built on the foundation of a previous gristmill constructed in 1808. Nathaniel Willey purchased land in 1795 from Nathaniel Paynter, building a dam and sawmill. The gristmill was constructed by Willey in 1808 which he operated until 1836.
The property was then purchased by Charles and Ann Johnson, but after Charles died, Ann had no way to operate the mill, so it was sold to William Johnson, who hired a miller to operate the mill. It was sold back to Ann in 1838, and she kept it until 1844, selling it then to Nathaniel Johnson. His sons, Richard M. and William T., purchased the mill in 1868. The mill changed hands several times between 1898 and 1919 when Ainsworth Abbott purchased the mill, dam, land with the pond and ten acres of ground north of the dam.
The mill is two-and-half stories with several wings. The interior of the mill has four levels which hold equipment for the mill operations. It has a series of chutes that carry grain from one level to another. Originally powered by a wooden water wheel, a water turbine replaced it in the late 19th century.
During the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, heavy rain caused dams at Silver Lake to break. City officials checked with Abbott every 30 minutes to be sure his dam was holding as if it had broken, the torrent of water down the Mispillion would have damaged Milford significantly, but the Abbott dam held.
Today, Abbott’s Mill is part of the Delaware Nature Society and sits on 376-acres of land in the Milford Millponds Nature Preserve. It features beautiful trails that allow visitors to hike through lush deciduous and Atlantic White Cedar woodlands. There is a handicap-accessible boardwalk that meanders along Johnson Branch. The boardwalk ends in an open meadow with a picnic area and the Garden for Wildlife Garden.
The gristmill is still operational although it is closed currently for tours as the mill is undergoing repairs. The 20-acre pond that is the mill water source reminds visitors of an era that has long gone. The trails are pet-friendly and open to the public.
There is a visitor center with a live animal collection and taxidermy animal displays. Parking is free. There is also public access to the pond with a public boat ramp for personal motorboats, canoes or kayaks. Fishing is permitted in the pond. As a reminder, anyone 16 to 64 must have a valid fishing permit. Abbott’s Mill partners with the State Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs as well as the Division of Fish and Wildlife.
