See the historic, water-powered West Point Mill in action! Using corn as a focal point, we will experience early settlers’ life on the river in this very hands-on program. Shucking, shelling, pounding, and grinding corn are just some of the activities included in this unique and well-loved program.
Your students will be able to experience a grist mill much like it was 200 years ago, when grist mills ruled the river. At that time, corn was the staple food and the river was one of the only sources of power. Without corn and grist mill grinding, our country would probably never be what it is today! Beyond a simple mill tour, your students will be challenged to figure out how the mill works by using their skills of observation and deduction. Students will also work as a team to turn corn into grain, the old fashioned way! This class is a wonderful complement to the Early American Life I class and to the Organic Gardening class.
The class includes:
- Visiting the Eno River, to see the source of power that pushes the waterwheels
- Racing along the mill race
- Exploring the inner workings and tools within the historic West Point Mill
- Using a traditional Hominy Block for pounding the corn, as the Indians and early settlers did
- Using a corn grinder as the nineteenth century farmers did
- Shelling corn from the cob using a hundred year old sheller machine or by hand
This class meets the following North Carolina Curriculum Standards: Science: 4:4.01; 4:4.03; 4:4.04, Social Studies: 4:3.01