Ready to get inside of Historic Yates Mill? The tour season runs from March through November. Please note that the mill and mill yard will be closed from September 9 through at least October 11 to allow for the construction and installation of the new waterwheel and forebay. Tours should resume October 19. Learn about the different tours below.
Yates Mill is an operable grain mill established around 1756. The equipment in the mill is original, left after the Lea family ceased milling operations in the mid-1950s. A visit to this historic treasure provides an opportunity to learn about an integral aspect of rural life in the early days of settlement in С»ÆѼÊÓƵ County.
Tours are free. Donations to the nonprofit Yates Mill Associates are welcome to support the maintenance and operations of Historic Yates Mill. For more information on how to donate or become a member of Yates Mill Associates, please visit: .
Public Mill Tours
Mill Open House
*Please note that the mill and the area around it will be closed from September 9 through at least October 11 due to the waterwheel replacement project. There will be no tours until after construction is completed. Learn more about this project at the Waterwheel and Forebay Replacement page.
Mill Open House
Saturdays, Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 1–4 p.m.
Sundays, Oct. 19 & 26 and Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 1–4 p.m.
Discover Historic Yates Mill during this free, drop-in program. The doors to the mill will be open, and historic interpreters will be available to talk about the history and inner workings of the mill and to answer questions. Stay for as long or as little as you like! Please note that space inside the mill is limited, allowing up to 20 visitors at a time. No registration required.
Mill Heritage and Local History Tours
Mill Heritage Tours
These hour-long guided tours will resume on selected Fridays in the fall, after the installation of the new waterwheel is complete.
Discover Historic Yates Mill – a place of business, community and exciting local history! Watch a brief video, then explore the inner workings of the mill itself. Free tickets are available inside the park's visitor center. Most appropriate for ages 7 & up.
There is no pre-registration; tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to arrive inside the visitor center 20 to 30 minutes before the tour to sign up. Maximum of 20 people per tour.
Click on the button below for details.
Corn-Grinding Demonstrations
Please note that corn-grinding demonstrations are on hold for 2025.С»ÆѼÊÓƵ The waterwheel and forebay have reached the end of their useful life and need to be replaced. The park and its nonprofit partner Yates Mill Associates are working with a millwright to replace these features, a process that will take most of 2025.С»ÆѼÊÓƵ
Organized Group Mill Tours
Now Available
Historic Yates Mill County Park is pleased to offer free, guided tours to organized groups of 10 or more people on weekdays. Tour dates are available on weekdays on a first-come, first-served basis from March through November. Reservations should be made, preferably, one month in advance. Requests for group tours are made by contacting the Group Program Coordinator, Adam Prince, at adam.prince@wake.gov.
For groups interested in other programs in addition to a mill tour, please refer to the Group Programs and Field Trips section of our website.
Upcoming Tours and Programs
Learn more about upcoming tours and other programs below.