Conferences
The 2010 conference is planned for November 6, 2010.
To register for the 2010 Conference, e-mail Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com
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Tide Mill Conference
The New England coastline was once the home of hundreds of tide mills, but this technology has now passed into history.
A tide mill is a water mill that is driven by the power inherent in the tides. A dam is created across a suitable tidal inlet or a section of a river estuary to form a mill pond reservoir. As the tide comes in, it enters the pond through a one-way gate, which closes automatically when the tide begins to fall. When the tide is low enough, the stored water can be released to turn a water wheel. Tide mills have existed since the Middle Ages.
The Dorchester Historical Society discovered evidence of former tide mills in Dorchester through research for a 2005 report commissioned to study the history of the James Blake House. Recognizing the need for greater attention to the subject, the Society sponsored the formation of the Tide Mill Institute, an organization that is now hosting its 2009 fifth annual conference at the Society’s headquarters on Friday-Saturday, November 6-7th.