George Washington built this large stone gristmill in 1771 to increase production of flour and cornmeal for export to the West Indies, England, and Europe. A 16-foot waterwheel powers the giant gears and millstones of Washington's remarkable mill that includes the only operating Oliver Evans Automated Milling System in America. The Evans System won U.S. Patent No. 3 and helped to make the gristmill at Mount Vernon a commercial success. In 1797, Washington's Scottish farm manager James Anderson encouraged him to build a whiskey distillery adjacent to the gristmill. The distillery was the largest in America, producing 11,000 gallons of whiskey in 1799, making it one of the most successful economic enterprises at Mount Vernon.
