From Endangered to Envisioned: Taylor’s Mill Moves Toward a New Future

In 2023, Taylor’s Mill was named one of Preservation New Jersey’s Ten Most Endangered Historic Sites, a call to action that helped spark renewed momentum around one of New Jersey’s landmarks of the American Revolution.

Today, that momentum is paying off.

The Friends of Col. John Taylor’s Grist Mill have unveiled an ambitious proposal to rehabilitate the Taylor’s Mill Historic Site into a pedestrian-friendly recreational trail stop that blends preservation, interpretation, and outdoor recreation. Concept images developed by Clark Caton Hintz, based on a preservation plan by Hunter Research Inc., envision a two-story steel “ghost” framework rising from the existing stone ruins. The structure would stabilize the historic mill while illustrating what it likely looked like during the American Revolution.

Inside, picnic tables would offer a place of rest for hikers using nearby township trails, alongside interpretive signage explaining the mill’s importance to both local and national history.

“This concept leverages everything we have going for us in Readington,” said Patricia Fisher-Olsen, President of Friends of Taylor’s Mill and Chair of the Readington Township Historic Preservation Commission. “We have history, we have open space, we have recreation. This is all three in one.”

The approach mirrors successful projects elsewhere, including the ghost structure at Benjamin Franklin’s House in Philadelphia and similar stabilization work at Rodgers House, both examples of how endangered ruins can be transformed into accessible, low-maintenance heritage destinations connected to public parks.

Several parcels surrounding the mill were acquired in 2025 and are now protected as part of the Taylor’s Mill National Historic District. The 26-acre site stretches along Rockaway Creek and includes the historic raceway that once powered the mill. Originally listed on the National Register in 1992, the district was expanded in 1997 to better reflect its historic landscape.

The newly completed preservation plan outlines immediate and long-term recommendations for stabilizing and activating the site, a critical first step toward grant funding and sustainable stewardship.

Taylor’s Mill is often called “the mill that fed Washington’s troops.” Historic documentation links flour produced here directly to requisitions from General George Washington. John Taylor himself served in the 4th Hunterdon Militia and fought in the Battle of Trenton. As the only remaining pre-Revolutionary grist mill in New Jersey, Taylor’s Mill offers a rare, tangible connection to the founding of our nation.

Its inclusion on Preservation New Jersey’s 2023 Ten Most Endangered list helped elevate awareness of both the site’s fragility and its potential. Just two years later, Taylor’s Mill is emerging as a powerful example of how advocacy, planning, and community partnerships can move a place from at-risk to revitalized.

As America approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, the Friends of Taylor’s Mill continue working to stabilize and interpret the site ensuring this extraordinary piece of history can be experienced by future generations.