Introduction

Rural water mills are an example of changing technology that was crucial to the prosperity of farms in central Maryland.  Throughout the 18^th 19^th centuries, the main staple crop of the region was wheat, which required grinding into flour before export.  This created a demand for mills, which the local geography was well suited for.  Each mill was a machine built into the landscape, drawing power directly from nature, and implementing a technology that had been serving man for over a millennium.  Their use declined in the late 1800s with the introduction of more efficient means of power and transportation, and the only traces of their existence are the roads that bear their names.  This paper will discuss the rise and fall of rural  water mills, with the focus on Montgomery County. The mechanics, materials, and infrastructure that they required, as well as their economic importance will also be examined.

The arrival of water mills in what is now Montgomery County coincided with the arrival of European settlers in the mid-18^th century. Prior to this the area was considered frontier; Maryland’s settlements were still concentrated in the tidewater regions.  As better road systems developed, and agricultural emphasis on tobacco declined, the settlement of the piedmont region accelerated.

In general, the technology of the Montgomery County mills was not new, although some important advances in mill technology were introduced during their era of prominence.  Each involved a water source, which the local terrain provided in abundance; a wheel, millstones, and gearing to transfer power.

The prominence of the mills began to decline due to newer forms of power and better transportation. As the Midwest was settled, a new and more abundant source of grain was introduced.  Suburban development also began to consume the farmland around Washington, D.C.