Efforts to restore the 225-year-old Van Wyck-Lefferts tide mill in Huntington, N.Y., continued at a steady pace through 2019, according to a recent report. In a letter to neighbors and friends of the tide mill and its associated waterfowl sanctuary, Van Wyck-Lefferts Tide Mill Sanctuary, Inc., listed an impressive number of accomplishments for the year, including securing tax-exempt status, raising $80,000 in donations and commitments, and selecting a contractor to complete critical repairs to the mill dam.
Critical dam repairs could be completed by spring, 2020. Meanwhile, fundraising and grant application activity will continue, with the goal of raising an additional $300,000 for less critical repairs and mill restoration. (You can donate to the restoration effort by visiting https://www.huntingtontidemill.org/take-action.)
The Van Wyck-Lefferts tide mill is the best preserved 18th century tidal gristmill in the country known to remain in its original location. Tide Mill Institute records indicate that it is one of only two remaining U.S. tide mills with gears, millstones and equipment. (The other is Poplar Grove Mill in Mathews County, Va.)
The adjacent pond will remain a sanctuary for resident and migratory waterfowl. The site is expected to accept visitors in the spring when the Huntington Historical Society will offer tours.