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Dunham's Mill

Coordinates: 40°38′11″N 74°54′43″W / 40.63639°N 74.91194°W / 40.63639; -74.91194 (Dunham's Mill)
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Dunham's Mill
Dunham's Mill and Clinton Dam
Dunham's Mill is located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Dunham's Mill
Dunham's Mill is located in New Jersey
Dunham's Mill
Dunham's Mill is located in the United States
Dunham's Mill
Location7 Lower Center Street, Clinton, New Jersey
Coordinates40°38′11″N 74°54′43″W / 40.63639°N 74.91194°W / 40.63639; -74.91194 (Dunham's Mill)
Area0.8 acres (0.32 ha)
Built1837 (1837)
Part ofClinton Historic District (ID95001101[2])
NRHP reference No.82003277[1]
NJRHP No.1568[3]
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 15, 1982
Designated CPSeptember 28, 1995
Designated NJRHPNovember 12, 1981

Dunham's Mill, also known as Parry's Mill, is a historic building located at 7 Lower Center Street in Clinton, New Jersey, United States. The gristmill was in operation from 1837 to 1952. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 15, 1982, for its significance in commerce and industry.[4] In 1995, it was also listed as a contributing property of the Clinton Historic District.[5] It shares the Clinton Dam across the South Branch Raritan River with the David McKinney Mill (now known as the Red Mill) on the other side of the river.[4] Since 1952, it has been home to the Hunterdon Art Museum, described by an art critic as the "most charming and picturesque" museum in the state.[6][7]

History

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Daniel Hunt owned the land and a previous mill at this site during the American Revolution. After his death, his son Ralph owned the property. In 1828, Archibald Taylor bought the property and had J. W. Bray and his son John B. manage it. In 1834, the mill was sold to George W. Taylor and James R. Dunham.[8] In 1836, the previous mill burned and the current mill was constructed by Charles and James R. Dunham. Operations started in 1837. Samuel Parry purchased the mill in 1843. The mill was used to grind wheat, rye, corn, and oats for flour and animal feed. By 1870, a small gypsum, or plaster, mill operation was added. After Parry's death in 1907, the mill was sold to Issac Krall, who operated it at full capacity during World War I. After Krall's death in 1929, the mill was sold to Joseph Kreidel, who would be the last operator. The mill remained in operation until 1952, when it was sold to become the home of the Hunterdon Art Museum.[4][6]

Description

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The mill is a 3+12-story stone building with a gambrel roof. The stone walls are between 18.5 and 23.75 inches (47.0 and 60.3 cm) thick. The original raceway went under a large brick archway on the west side of the building and exited to the south below the Clinton Dam. The main mill entrance and loading bays are located on the east side. A two-story stone plaster-mill building, built c. 1865, is attached to the south side of the main mill building.[4]

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References

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  1. ^ "National Register Information System – (#82003277)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System – (#95001101)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
  3. ^ "New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places – Hunterdon County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection – Historic Preservation Office. December 28, 2020. p. 2.
  4. ^ a b c d Brash, Clarence; Lazarus, Diane Gail (October 1980). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Dunham's Mill". National Park Service. With accompanying 13 photos
  5. ^ Brecknell, Ursula C. (August 1994). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Clinton Historic District". National Park Service. With accompanying 39 photos
  6. ^ a b "The Story of the Stone Mill and the Hunterdon Art Museum". Hunterdon Art Museum.
  7. ^ Zimmer, William (October 20, 2002). "Art Review: How Clinton's Gristmill Grew Into a Museum". The New York Times. The Hunterdon Museum of Art may not be the largest museum in the state, but it is the most charming and picturesque.
  8. ^ Snell, James P. (1881). "Clinton Village". History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey. Everts & Peck. pp. 544–545.
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