While exploring the Roslyn Landmark Society's archives, Co-President discovered these eight 1942 images associated with the water wheel the grist mill millstones Roslyn Mill Tea House. Two workers can be seen either building or restoring the shaft for the water wheel.
Thanks to Terry Hunt for information on the restoration of the water wheel. See below Comment.
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I checked my files when I got home. The metal waterwheel was installed in 1917; the two concrete supports for the shaft are probably still in place. According to the records we had in the Nassau County Museum Division's holdings, the wooden wheel being worked on in the photos was built in the 1930s, and Charles Croft and Joseph Hagan were the craftsmen.
Terry, thanks for the background information on the images. We will continue to research the history of the water wheel restoration.
Ned, our plans are to restore the water wheel to its original working order.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
Will a new water wheel be installed for the restoration? I recognize it might not be used for power but your show. Hope so, I remember it running in the 1970s. The sound alone was great.
Great photos!
They are replacing the waterwheel and shaft that would have powered the gear pit and millstone above it. I think this was a WPA project but am not certain without checking.
The generator, installed around the time the concrete sheathing was put on the mill in 1916, was run by a metal waterwheel under the kitchen wing. The sluiceway was run over the spot where the old waterwheel was to drop its water under the kitchen wing. This ran a DC generator. The story is that it wasn't used too long -- one day there was a heavy run of water which turned the generator too quickly and it blew out the lights in the tea house!