S. Ridgely Saw Mill (18HO261)

The Hayfield Gristmill, erroneously also known as the S. Ridgely Saw Mill (18HO261), is the archaeological remains associated with an early 19th through early 20th century gristmill in West Friendship in Howard County. The site consists of the stone foundations of the former mill, portions of the mill race, and associated artifact deposits. Observable portions of the foundation are located at the base of the slope along what is most likely the wheel pit area. The wheel pit consists of a channel between two stone walls that are approximately 2 meters apart. A short stone wall is also present at the head of the wheel pit. Other nearby ditches and channel features may be related.

Two mills are known the have operated in the vicinity of 18HO261 during the 19th century. The mills, a gristmill and a sawmill collectively referred to as the “Hayfield Mills”, are first definitively documented on the property in the 1840s under the ownership of one Samuel Norwood Ridgely. There is some indication, however, that milling may have been taking place in the area prior to 1810.

The site was first identified in January of 2005 during a Phase I survey for improvements to nearby MD Route 32. Shovel test pits (STPs) were excavated and surface reconnaissance was carried out to locate various mill and raceway landscape features. The mill foundation was partially cleared of vegetation to permit some basic measurements and recordation of the exposed remnants. Thirty-five historic artifacts were recovered during the Phase I survey, as well as two lithic artifacts.

In the spring of 2007, a combined Phase I and II project was carried out at 18HO261 and in the surrounding vicinity under the direction of the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). Phase II work at 18HO261 in 2007 included the excavation of 13 STPs and 10 test units. Test units were excavated in and around the observable foundation walls and within the grassy field to the north of the foundations. All soils were sifted through hardware cloth. Three previously undocumented cultural features were identified during excavations. Features 1 and 4, consisted of portions of the west and north foundation walls of the mill structure, and Feature 3, which was determined to be a builder’s trench for the retaining wall on the south side of the wheel pit.

Nearly 5,500 artifacts were recovered from the site during the 2007 excavations. The assemblage consisted of 669 activity items, 2,563 architectural artifacts, 40 clothing items, 962 kitchen-related artifacts, 18 personal objects, 1 tobacco-related object, 1 arms object, 1,197 miscellaneous objects and 2 prehistoric artifacts (a rhyolite biface and a quartz flake).

It was determined unlikely that additional excavations would provide answers to research questions on the local milling industry of the early 19th through early 20th centuries. The site was determined ineligible for listing on the NRHP and no further work was conducted prior to construction of the new wetland facilities.

(Edited from the Maryland Historical Trust Synthesis Project)