The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm announced via press release that it will be hosting the 42nd national meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Old Mills (SPOOM) on October 23 – 26. SPOOM is committed to preserving old mills and aiding in the preservation of mill structures throughout the United States. They also recognize the builders of mills and maintain extensive archives on mills and mill sites. The conference at the Rochester Hills Museum will feature mill training and certification, tours of area public and private mills, seminars on water rights, adaptive reuse, local mill wrights, Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal, and numerous seminars on Rochester’s local history related to mills. Bus tours, meals, speakers, various community tours, and a mill photography contest will be provided. In addition, the SPOOM bookstore and various information tables will be available to share mill history and publications.
Yates Cider Mill
The Rochester, Michigan area was a thriving mill center into the early 1900s with the Clinton River and Paint Creek and Stony Creek providing abundant water power. These mills produced cider, lumber, grist, paper, sugar and more! Sponsoring agencies include the Oakland Township and Rochester-Avon Historical Societies, and Wolcott Mill Metropark. For details in how to register and for a full conference agenda, visit the Museum website at www.rochesterhills.org/museum
The Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm is a 16-acre historic site listed on the National Register of Historic Places and includes barns, farmhouses, schoolhouse, gardens and access to Stoney Creek.
For more information call the Museum at 248.656.4663 or rhmuseum@rochesterhills.org.
About Sarah Hovis