ABC11 was there Thursday as work to remove the 12-foot wheel began. It's the last operable water-powered gristmill in the county, and after 20 years of use, the wheel needs some major upgrades.
Yates Mill served the county for over 200 years, grinding corn and wheat into meal and flour. The park opened to the public in May 2006, and Wake County said it hosts over 100,000 visitors per year.
"For visitors of the park, it's going to be an incredible experience once (the waterwheel) gets restored in the mill," Matt Fryar, the park manager, said. "We're going to be able to (grind) corn again."
A waterwheel in a mill is a large, typically wooden wheel powered by flowing water. It plays a vital role in a watermill, transforming the kinetic energy of water into mechanical power to operate machinery, such as grinding stones in a gristmill. A mill forebay is a structure that holds water and directs it to a waterwheel.
The cost to replace the wheel is estimated to be about half a million and is expected to be installed this fall, the county said.
The mill yard area will be closed as the waterwheel and forebay are removed.