Guilford Mill is a fully operational water-powered 18th century grist mill listed on the United States National Register of Historical Places. In 1954 Clarence Bailes, the new owner, removed the roller wheel and replaced the turbine with an overshot wheel that continues to operate today. The overshot wheel is the most common water wheel in North America. It is a gravity wheel which means it harnesses the force of gravity acting vertically on the water as it travels from the top to the bottom of the wheel. The design of the overshot enables the use of all the water flow for power and does not require a rapid flow. The overshot wheel can harness over eighty-five percent of the potential energy in falling water. |
