Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill
Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill, 2026.
Obadiah Latourette Grist and Saw Mill
Obadiah LaTourette
Grist and Saw Mill
12 East Mill Road, Long Valley, New Jersey 07853
Now we’ve arrived at what was once the economic engine of the valley—the grist mill.
Long before roads, bridges, or mills appeared here, the South Branch of the Raritan River valley was part of the homeland of the Lenni Lenape people. Their trails followed natural routes that later guided European settlement. By 1751, Philip Weise had established a mill on this site, making it one of the earliest industrial enterprises in the valley.
Mills were essential to daily life. Farmers brought grain to be ground into flour and meal, and the mill became a natural gathering place where people exchanged goods, news, and information. This site also included a sawmill, which processed local timber into lumber for building homes, barns, and shops.
Imagine the scene 250 years ago: the creak of water wheels, the steady grind of millstones, and wagons lined up with grain, waiting their turn. By the 1800s, the mill operated nearly nonstop—from early Monday morning until late Saturday night—with workers tending the machinery around the clock.
The mill supported a wide network of trade. Grain and flour were sold locally and in markets such as Newark, and later shipped more efficiently by rail from nearby towns. Farmers often traveled long distances with heavy wagon loads, sometimes departing before dawn with four-horse teams to reach regional markets.
Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill, Historic Image.
Obadiah LaTourette Grist and Saw Mill facing the river, 2026.
With the railroads in place, the delivery to Newark required a four-mile wagon haul to the Chester railroad instead of the long trek to Newark. Later there were markets for the produced grain in Dover, Port Oram (later called Wharton), Mine Hill and Brooklyn Pond (later called Lake Hopatcong).
The sawmill, located behind the grist mill, added to the site’s productivity. Using a water-powered “jig” saw, it cut logs into usable lumber—an essential resource for a growing community.
Today, this site remains one of the most important historic industrial locations in Washington Township, reflecting the central role mills played in shaping the valley’s economy and daily life.
Jacob Weise House
The Miller's House
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