The Wolcott Mill is a grist and feed mill located at 63841 Wolcott Road in

Ray Township, Michigan Ray Township is a civil township of Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the township population was 3,780, which makes Ray Township the least populated township in Macomb County. Wolcott Mill Metropark, a park i ...

. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2009.

History

The Wolcott Mill was constructed in 1847 by a miller named Freeman, and was operated as a grist mill and feed mill. The mill passed through multiple owners, including John Smith, Norman Crawford, and Frank Ritter, before being purchased by Fred B. Wolcott in 1878. Fred Wolcott was born in

Bradford County, Pennsylvania Bradford County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, its population was 59,967. Its county seat is Towanda. The county was created on February 21, 1810, from parts o ...

in 1845, the son of J.P. and Rebecca Rogers Wolcott. He worked in a sawmill in Pennsylvania, then moved west to Wisconsin in 1865. He moved from there to Nebraska, then Wyoming, Utah, and California in succession, before returning to Nebraska where his father had subsequently settled, in 1869. There he homesteaded a tract of land, and in 1870 married Miss Anna C. Callahan. The couple had twelve children: A. E., John P., Fred H., William H., Frank O., Lewis J., Rebecca, Ida May, Anna, Rosa M., Mary, and Lillie. Wolcott improved his homestead property for nine years until 1878, when he traded the Nebraska tract for the mill located in Ray, Michigan. Wolcott rebuilt part of the mill, adding new machinery and another barn to the property. The Wolcott Mill was known for its high-quality flour, and a number of large Detroit bakeries, including Acme Pie and Oven King Cookies, used Wolcott Mill flour for their pastries and desserts. Fred Wolcott operated the mill until at least 1905. The mill closed in 1967. In 1989, the mill opened as part of the

Wolcott Mill Metropark Wolcott Mill Metropark is a Huron-Clinton Metropark located in rural Ray Township, Michigan. The northern branch of the Clinton River The Clinton River is a river in southeastern Michigan in the United States. It is named in honor of DeWitt Cl ...

Description

The Wolcott Mill complex includes the mill itself, the millpond, a barn, and a truck garage. A 1950s corncob building is also on the property, and a modern gazebo, restrooms, and toll road building were added by the park system. The large barn was first used as a stable, and was later converted to storage for certified seed. The Metropark uses the barn as a historical museum. The truck garage once housed delivery trucks, and is now used for special events. The original milling machinery is still in place in the mill. The machinery includes two midget marvel roller mills, used to grind grains, and other machinery used for milling.

References

External links

Wolcott Mill Metropark
official site {{National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places in Macomb County, Michigan Industrial buildings completed in 1847 Grinding mills on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan Grinding mills in Michigan Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan 1847 establishments in Michigan