Steam Power Water Power Grist Mills
(Page 7 of 7)
March/April 1998
Jack C. Norbeck,
Grain was brought to the Haines Grist Mill by horses and steam
traction engines. In 1759, John Knauss bought the land from his
father-in-law, Joseph Bishop, who received the property from Thomas
and Richard Penn in 1738. The Haines Mill was built between 1759
and 1765 and remained in the Knauss family until 1853. The mill was
purchased by Solomon Lichten walner and remained in the Lichten
walner family until 1906 when Jacob Haines bought the grist mill.
In 1908 the mill, filled with fall and winter crops, was gutted by
fire. Destruction was so complete that only the outside walls
remained. In 1909 the mill was rebuilt with a water turbine
installed to replace the undershot water wheel. At the same time, a
Fairbanks Morse diesel engine was installed as an alternate source
of power when needed. The available equipment limited production to
300 pounds of flour per hour. A 100 pound sack of grain produced
about 60 pounds of flour. With the introduction of cake mixes to
the market, and electrically generated feed grinders available to
the farmers, the demand for the mill's products began to
decline. In 1956 the mill ceased operations.
RELATED CONTENT
The last miller, Ira J. Haines, was known throughout the
community as a 'full measure man' based on his reputation
as an honest miller. A 25 pound bag of flour from Ira was at least
25 pounds.
Their slogan was: 'A healthy glow and chubby cheeks is what
each loving mother seeks. Those mothers give health more power, who
mix their mix dough with Haines Brothers flour.' Today, the
Haines Mill Museum is run by the Lehigh County Historical Society,
Allentown, Pennsylvania. 18105. Telephone is (610)-435-4664.
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