Yates Mill Associates

05/15/2026

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome everyone back for the first Corn Grinding weekend at Yates Mill in TWO years!

Join us this weekend as we celebrate the return of this special tradition!

This weekend, for the first time in almost two years, Historic Yates Mill will be offering corn grinding tours again!

On May 16 and 17, between 1 and 4 p.m., you can see the historic gristmill in action! Hear the splash of water on the park's new waterwheel, and join our historical interpreters for a tour inside the mill, where you can watch the millstones at work grinding corn into meal. Please note that space inside the mill is limited, allowing up to 20 visitors at a time. No registration is required for this drop-in program. FREE.

Special thanks to photographer Sam Ray for this photo.

05/15/2026

At our Donor Appreciation Evening and 37th Annual Meeting on May 6, 2026, Yates Mill Associates was proud to present the 2026 Henry Marshall Volunteer of the Year Award to Linda D’Alto!

The Henry Marshall Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to preserving and sharing the history of Yates Mill. Linda truly embodies that spirit.

Linda first discovered Yates Mill almost by accident after her husband happened to drive by one day. From her very first visit, she fell in love with the mill, its history, and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, and she immediately knew she wanted to get involved.

She began volunteering at the park reception desk welcoming visitors and assisting during Corn Grinding weekends, often helping with YMA merchandise sales. She also generously shared her creativity by making handmade soaps for YMA craft sales.

After three years of dedicated volunteering, Linda joined the YMA Board in 2025, where she quickly became an active and invaluable member. She helped YMA secure two grants from the Cary Woman’s Club — one supporting the waterwheel replacement project and another helping fund our recent Miller Training. She has also helped support the return of the beloved YMA Cookbook and the revival of the YMA newsletter.

Linda brings positivity, enthusiasm, and genuine dedication to everything she does, and we are so grateful for all she contributes to Yates Mill Associates.

Please join us in congratulating Linda D’Alto on this well-deserved recognition!

04/01/2026

We’re excited to welcome our new Head Miller, Josh Rupp, and milling assistant Robert Blanchard as we prepare to resume full mill operations!

In March, Steve Bashore (former Head Miller of George Washington's Gristmill at Mt. Vernon) joined us in Raleigh to provide hands-on training—not only for Josh and Robert, but also for Historic Yates Mill County Park staff Matt Fryar, Foster Davis, and Patrick Lynch—bringing us to five trained mill operators ready to keep the mill running safely and sustainably.

With our new waterwheel in place, we’re thrilled to announce the return of public corn grinding tours this May—the first in two years!

📸 Pictured left to right: Steve Bashore, Foster Davis, Josh Rupp, Matt Fryar, Patrick Lynch, and Robert Blanchard.

Thank you to our incredible donors who made this milestone possible and continue to support Yates Mill Associates.

03/03/2026

Help Shape the Future of Yates Mill!

Do you love local history, preservation, and being part of something meaningful in our community?

Yates Mill Associates (YMA) is seeking dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Directors for the 2026–2029 term — and we’d love to hear from you!

Serving on the YMA Board is a chance to:
🌾 Support the preservation of Historic Yates Mill
🌾 Partner with Wake County to steward this special place
🌾 Contribute your skills and ideas to a passionate, community-driven team
🌾 Help guide fundraising, programs, and long-term planning

Board members attend quarterly meetings (February, May, August, and November), with opportunities to serve on subcommittees based on your interests and strengths. The new term begins at our Annual Meeting in May 2026.

We are especially excited to welcome individuals who bring fresh perspectives, diverse backgrounds, and skills in areas such as fundraising, outreach, finance, preservation, or community engagement.

Please express your interest by the end of March so we have time to connect and prepare for new members.

Interested or just want to learn more?
Send us a Facebook message or email [email protected]

Come be part of preserving history while building community.

01/04/2026

Happy New Year from Yates Mill Associates!

As we welcome the new year, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported our waterwheel and forebay project in 2025. Because of your generosity, we reached an incredible milestone in restoring this vital part of the mill’s operation — and we couldn’t have done it without you.

We are now about 1 ½ years into our 3-year Waterwheel Campaign, and fundraising for this project is still underway. Every gift helps us continue preserving and protecting Historic Yates Mill for future generations.

Thanks to your support, we’re especially excited to have the mill up and running for the 2026 Corn Grinding Season, bringing this historic place back to life for our community and visitors.

Thank you for believing in this place, this history, and the work we do. We’re grateful to have you with us as we look ahead to 2026!

12/06/2025

Santa is stopping by Yates Mill today!

He’ll be taking visitors from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM and 1:00-4:00 PM. Volunteers will be available to take pictures of you with Santa inside the mill, using your phone or camera.

Due to limited space, entry to the mill will be staggered, offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Stop by the visitor center to sign up for your time slot.

The event is free but donations to YMA are encouraged.

We hope you can join us on Saturday, December 6, to meet Santa at Yates Mill!

This free program is offered by Yates Mill Associates between 10 a.m. and noon and 1 and 4 p.m. Volunteers will be available to take pictures of you with Santa inside the mill, using your phone or camera.

Due to limited space, entry to the mill will be staggered, offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Stop by the visitor center to sign up for your time slot.

While at the park, you can also make holiday crafts, play historic games, buy crafts from YMA's craft sale, and more. YMA welcomes donations at this event, to help with its mission of preserving and operating the historic mill.

11/29/2025

Hosting family for the holiday weekend and looking for a fun activity? Visit Yates Mill, a Raleigh landmark, for a drop-in tour of the historic mill! Stop by on Saturday or Sunday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tours are free and open to all! These are the last tours until 2026.

We hope you'll visit the mill between 1 and 4 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday afternoon for our free "Mill Open House." This will be the last Open House of 2025.

Discover Historic Yates Mill during this free, drop-in program. The doors to the mill will be open, and historic interpreters will be available to talk about the history and inner workings of the mill and to answer questions. Stay for as long or as little as you like! Please note that space inside the mill is limited, allowing up to 20 visitors at a time. No registration required. FREE.

11/18/2025

A big thank-you to Scott Mason for featuring Yates Mill on WRAL’s Tar Heel Traveler! This wonderful segment captures the beauty and craftsmanship of our new waterwheel and shares the story behind this exciting milestone for the mill.

History restored for a Wake County mill that has stood the test of time. WRAL's Tar Heel Traveler shows off the restoration and its new look for years to come.

10/30/2025

Waterwheel & Forebay Construction Complete!

We’re excited to announce that the new waterwheel and forebay are finished! The mill and mill yard will remain closed through mid-November as we repair damage from heavy equipment.

The area below the mill—offering great views of the new waterwheel and dam—is expected to reopen in early November. For updates, please visit the Historic Yates Mill County Park page.

To reach this area, cross the Mill Pond boardwalk, turn left, and walk around the pond. Please note: the Mill Pond Trail will not form a full loop, and Mill Open House yours are paused. Mill tours and corn grinding are planned to resume in March 2026.

09/18/2025

What an exciting update! We’re thrilled to share that the waterwheel installation is going smoothly. As a reminder, the mill, mill yard, and the area around the mill dam will remain closed on October 17. Thank you for your patience as we continue this important work!