Wade's Mill
Rockbridge County
History, Waterwheel, Tailrace & Millstones
History of Kennedy-Wade's Mill by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy-Wade_Mill
The Kennedy-Wade Mill, or Wade's Mill, is a grist mill and national historic district located in Raphine, Virginia and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was originally built c. 1750 by Captain Joseph Kennedy. In 1846 the mill was sold by the Kennedy family to Henry B. Jones, who expanded and improved the mill. After passing to other owners in 1867, the mill was damaged by fire in 1873. It was rebuilt and leased to (and later bought by) James F. Wade, and put back into use in November 1882. The Wade family continued to operate it for four generations. It was bought in 1991 by Jim Young, and is still functioning today. The mill grinds flour using millstones and a 21-foot overshot waterwheel. The flour is shipped to restaurants and livestock farmers.
Nearby and also part of the Kennedy-Wade's Mill Historic District are the miller's house and other houses and outbuildings structures forming the small mill community.
History of Wade's Mill by https://www.wadesmill.com/about/history/
Wade’s Mill (originally the Kennedy-Wade Mill) is the oldest, continuously operating commercial grist mill surviving in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
The Wade’s Mill legacy began with Captain Joseph Kennedy, a Scots-Irishman from County Antrim, Northern Ireland, who immigrated to America in 1733. Captain Kennedy was one of the earliest settlers and landowners in the area. By 1750, he had built his mill powered by the waters of “Captain Kennedy’s Mill Creek”.
The Kennedy family owned and operated the Mill for over a century. In 1882, the Wade family purchased the Mill and operated it for four generations. In 1991, it was purchased by Jim and Georgie Young.
In July 2016, John and Karen Siegfried purchased Wade’s Mill, with the commitment to preserve and continue the 260+ year tradition of family owned and operated stone-ground milling in the Shenandoah Valley.
