To be jointly hosted by the staff and volunteers of
 Historic Yates Mill County Park
and the non-profit group, Yates Mill Associates

Park Phone: 919.856.6675; Park Website: www.wakegov.com/yatesmill

www.yatesmill.org

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The 2010 Conference Agenda

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Host Hotel:

Crabtree Valley Marriott off Glenwood Avenue in Raleigh, NC

919-781-7000

SPOOM Block Rate $94.00 Thru 8/31

• Airport shuttle service, on request, complimentary
• Estimated taxi fare from airport: 35.00  USD  (one way)

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Historic Yates Mill to Host

Fall 2010 SPOOM Conference

Historic Yates Mill County Park opened to the public in May 2006. The park is located in Wake County (NC’s capitol county), just five miles from downtown Raleigh, and about 2-3 hours from the coast and 3-4 hours from the mountains. The old mill, which dates back to the mid 1700s, stayed in business for over 200 years. During its history, the mill ground corn into meal and wheat into flour, and also sawed logs into lumber and carded wool for home spinning.

Today, thanks to the efforts of the non-profit group, Yates Mill Associates (YMA), along with the Wake County Division of Parks, Recreation and Open Space and North Carolina State University, the mill is fully restored and its water-powered operations are demonstrated publicly. Trained volunteers and staff provide visitors with guided tours of the mill from March through November each year, while corn-grinding demonstrations take place on the 3 rd weekend of each month, with costumed interpreters on hand to explain the mill’s operations.

The park features 174 acres of diverse natural areas with several miles of hiking trails, scattered picnic spots, and scenic places like overlook decks and boardwalks. Park facilities include an outdoor field classroom and amphitheater, informational kiosks and outdoor displays, and the A.E. Finley Center for Education and Research, a 16,000-square foot building that includes a reception area, exhibit hall, auditorium, education classrooms, and restrooms, among other features.

Yates Mill’s relationship with SPOOM began in 1990, when seven members of YMA attended a conference in Catawba County, NC, where they toured other mills and attended workshops on mill renovation and promotion. In 1994, SPOOM gave YMA a generous grant to help make the restoration of Yates Mill possible. Because of support from SPOOM and other caring organizations and individuals, it is now possible to share Yates Mill with the SPOOM membership.