Shaped by Necessity

Shaped by Necessity. . , During the 17th and 18th centuries, local inhabitants constructed several mills on the shores of Manhasset Bay, reshaping its contour in the process. Because mills at that time were water-powered, dozens were built along Long Island’s bays and rivers., Tidal mills depended upon the tides and a mill pond in order to function. Once a rising tide filled the mill pond reservoir, water was retained behind a mill dam until the mill was ready to operate. As water was released, gravity forced it through a sluiceway connected to a waterwheel. The force of the falling water turned the waterwheel, which, by the use of gears and flywheels, either turned a mill-stone, powered a saw, or worked a forge., Port Washington’s Mill Pond, originally Dodge Inlet, was dammed in 1795 by Joseph Cornwall to serve his grist mill. The mill was demolished years ago but Shore Road is built upon the mill dam. Even today, Mill Pond has a tidal exchange that mixes salt water entering the dam’s opening with fresh water gathered from streams and rain., Several local ponds are also dammed streams: Sheets Creek East was dammed in the early 1800’s to create a large mill pond for the Hewlitt family mill. Leeds Pond (1693), Baxter Pond (1910), and Whitney Pond are also dammed streams. Sheets Creek North was dredged into an inlet in the early 1900s., Captions:, (Main Image) The image of the Mill Pond and dam is circa 1875. Horses and wagons are lined up at the mill, whose A-shaped roof is seen at the top, right. The house on Mill Pond Road, right foreground, is Hall and Jones butcher shop., (Insets) Antique postcards showing two views of the Old Mill. Top right: view of the Plandome Mill built in 1693., Photo credits: The Port Washington Public Library, Local History Center,