graue mill & museum

Small but a great tour and you can buy corm meal that they just ground, if you like. A flash back to the days when things were really done green...Great place to eat right across the creek too!

On the East end off York Road is the old mill, water wheel, and waterfall. Very picturesque in all seasons. Had our Wedding pictures taken there as well as family pictures years after! The Mill is a working museum and you can buy the corn meal they produce. Very educational! Take the path to the west entrance and you'll find the nature center. Small yet great for kids to watch water fowl, see the centers resident snake, or play in the bird houses. Outside there is a nice trail through the woods. Small fee for the Mill tour but all else is free. One of my favorite places!

We toured the museum this summer and were really impressed with all the displays. The volunteers in the museum were very helpful in describing life 100 years ago in the Midwest. There are also some lovely hiking trails around the museum

My family has been living in the area for over 30 years & we've visited the mill & museum many times. We now have 4 grandchildren & have taken them there for tours. They all love it & want to go there again. We especially enjoy their presentations which are very educational & entertaining, such as how cornmeal is made from the energy of the paddle wheel outside the building. Some of the other presentations include how the place was used as the underground railroad for the slaves escaping the Confederate South. The museum also has a gift shop with many tasty treats. In addition, the surrounding area is filled with lush vegetation & trees, as well as the nearby Fullersburg woods, walking trails & the Salt Creek waterfall. I would highly recommend this place for all visitors.

For some reason, I remember Graue Mill differently, but then again, the last time I was there, I was probably 5. When we went, the mill wasn't running, and you couldn't buy any flour ground there. There was a gentleman on the ground floor, but he didn't explain very much. My niece (6 years) got bored pretty quickly, but she definitely enjoyed walking around the surrounding woods. There are some displays upstairs, but not much for young children to do. And unfortunately, since they're the iPad generation, they weren't interested in any of the old things because it was too far removed for them. The interactive nature education center nearby was more fun for my niece, and it was free.

I used to visit Graue Mill with my sons when they were young and yesterday I returned on my own to see how the place has changed. There are picnic benches on the green outside so you can enjoy the peace and quiet. Salt Creek runs into a small pond and there is a dam here so the sound of rushing water is always in the background. Hiking trails are well maintained making it possible to experience the peace of the woods in the middle of Oak Brook. Lovely and serene.Built in 1852, Graue Mill is one of the few water powered grist mills left in the country and is the only one in Illinois. Flooding in the spring of 2013 damaged the mechanism of the waterwheel so it is no longer in operation. However, they are using a more modern millstone to grind corn meal which is still available for purchase at the small gift shop. The original millstones were imported from France and bear silent testimony to a bygone era.Another interesting fact is that this mill was also used during the 1800's to hide runaway slaves on their journey to freedom in Canada. The basement features displays pertaining to this location's history as one of the stops on the Underground Railroad.

Filled with history, the museum still grinds cornmeal fresh for purchase. Next to Forest preserve that has a wonderful walk and bike path along the Salt Creek.

This is a historical trip that will show you certain processes and interactions with flour and the usage of the flour years ago. There is a cool walking trail and eating lunch picnic style is also worth the trip-of course if you go in the fall the colors will add to this hidden place.

A bunch of history at the mill. It was a stopping point for run a way slaves going north. A grist mill that produced bread flour for the local area.Visit when the miller is grinding grain on the stone wheel.

You can't beat a visit to this wonderful little "home grown" museum just at the edge of the Salt Creek as it flows under York Road just north of Hinsdale, IL. You can buy your mill ground corn or wheat, view the underground railroad as it existed here (on the lower level, where the flood got them this spring). On weekends, upstairs you can watch a docent carding and spinning wool and weaving on a four harness floor loom, and also view rooms as they would have looked in the mid-late 1800s and early 1900s from a store to rooms from a home. The second floor houses a horse stall and a blacksmith shop as well as exhibiting carriages. Adults are $4.50, Seniors are $4.00, and kids over 3 are $2.50. REALLY fair prices.

What a wonderful area. They have a few walking trails that follow the river that is very pretty no matter what time of year it is. The museam is a part of local history and is a hidden gem of a location. you can bring a picnic lunch or just take a nice stroll on one of the paths. Fall is very pretty when the leaves are changing color! This is also a great place to take some wedding photos.

One can never learn too much about spinning yarn, grinding corn, and old-timey cooking. I found it to be an interactive museum that young and old could enjoy. Afterward, be sure to walk across the river to the York Tavern for a sweet burger and beer. Very family friendly, great atmosphere.

The Graue Mill and Museum is a operating water wheel gristmill and homestead, a bit of local history and charm, and gives a wonderful glimpse into what life was like in the 1850's.Located in Oak Brook, Illinois, the Mill was built by Frederick Graue, who was born in Germany, and had been operated by three generations of the Graue family for 60 years.. The four story building was built from handmade bricks and lumber cut from local trees.The Millstones were imported from France. Many types of grains were ground here for the local farmers. At one time the Mill also served as a underground Railroad that transported slaves on their way to Canada and freedom.Restoration was completed in 1943 by the Civilian Conservation Corps but the mill wasn't opened as a Museum until 1951.In 1975 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.On weekends they have special event programs with demonstrations of activities that took place during daily life, such as, spinning, weaving and grinding grain. On the first floor they show you the milling operation. The cellar contains all the gears for the mill. The top two floors are filled with original furniture, wagons and other artifacts from the 1850's.Outside Salt Creek provides the water to turn the mill. There is a dam that holds back the flow to provide the power needed. You will also find paths to hike on through a lovely wooded Forest Preserve area. Just down the road is also a Nature Center.If you would like to spend a day learning about the life of a Miller in the 1850's this is a wonderful opportunity to do so. A real education for all ages, well worth the time and quite a learning experience.And don't forget to bring your camera. :-)

Stop here to get a short history on the ancient practice of grain milling - return here to stock up on wonderful course milled cornmeal - in a sack with a recipe pamphlet (The Pub across the stream is a local favorite for lunch)

This preserve is one of the gems in the Chicago area. I've been there many times with my camera gear. I always feel inspired there!