New Hope Mills Falls, Bear Swamp Creek, Cayuga County

New Hope Mills Falls

AKA - New Hope Mills, New Hope Falls
Location -20 minutes south of the village of Skaneateles, in the small village of New Hope. Located in close proximity to the Bahar Nature Preserve and Bear Swamp State Forest and the beautiful Carpenter Falls. Cayuga County
Maps - Google Map, Google Earth, Multi
GPS/Locations - New Hope Mills Falls: N 42.79910 / W 76.34614, Falls at Glen Haven Rd.: N 42.79776 / W 76.34561
Directions - Take route 20 towards Skaneateles until you reach Route 41A (west lake road). Travel south down West Lake Road 12 miles until you see a green sign for ‘New Hope’. Shortly thereafter, there will be a sign on the left for New Hope Mills. Take a left, and pull down a rough gravel road to the parking area in front of the Mill. Or use Google Directions.

Information
Number of falls: Numerous, 4 main ones, of which 3 are directly accessible.
Size/Types: The falls are the result of the two mill ponds that power the mill. There is an upper mill pond with a twenty-four-foot waterfall before the sawmill. The lower mill pond before the flour mill has a twenty-eight-foot waterfall. Water can be stored overnight in the upper pond to run the mill the following day. There is also a small seasonal waterfall downstream from the mill, and numerous smaller cascades.
Best time to visit: Spring, Summer and Fall.
Flow: Relatively constant – regulated by the mill pond.
Waterway: Bear Swamp Creek
Time: 30 minutes.

Accessibility
Seasons/Hours: June 1st – Labor Day, 9am-4pm, although the mill isn’t open all year, you can still park at the end of the parking lot off-season/ off hours and walk down around the mill and photograph it. Keep in mind that the mill is on private property and that the owners may consider some activities loitering. Please be respectful of their establishment.
Parking: Plenty at the mill.
Admission: Free, Pancake mix will cost you.
Handicap accessibility: yes
Pets: not allowed.
Accommodations: outhouses in the area.

Description...
New Hope Mills is the only factory still in existence on Bear Swamp Creek, located at a unique juncture that uses the waterpower of the creek as it is channeled through the gorge. Although the waterwheel is most visible, the mill's real power comes from the water turbine underneath the mill. The turbine can run all year round providing there is sufficient water.

Two man-made waterfalls a covered bridge and the historic mills make this area a unique attraction for the nature, history and pancake lover.

Trails
Difficulty: Easy.
There's not much of a trail here, but you can easily walk around the mill.
From the parking lot, cross the covered bridge over Bear Swamp Creek (and a small cascade) and view the mill from the side, along with the waterwheel and the 28 foot plunge. If you continue on the well defined path, you can walk further on about 50 yards or so and you’ll come to the seasonal waterfall and a unique area that you can view the mill and the waterfalls directly on through the trees.

To access the upper falls, either walk or drive back up the road you came down until you reach the old sawmill that is right next to the bridge. Walk across the bridge, and down the hill on the opposite side of the first mill pond. You can get various views of the other waterfall from this area.
Markings: none

History...
The flour mill was built by Judge Charles Kellogg. He was a member of the New York State Assembly (1808-09, 1821-22) and later reelected to Congress (1825). Judge Kellogg sold the mill to Horace Rounds in 1851. The mill remained in the rounds family until 1947. The mill was then sold to Howard Weed, Hubert Latta, and Leland Weed; the mill became New Hope Mills at this time. Dale Weed became the sole owner in 2001 when David entered the presence of his Lord and Savior in Heaven.

The flour mill and a saw mill a short distance upstream are known as New Hope Mills Inc. There were 15 water powered industries along the banks of Bear Swamp Creek in the 1850's. Now, only these two mills remain as a tribute to New Hope Mills' unique past.

Local History contends that the community of New Hope was given its name from the top of its new flour mill in 1823. After the mill's forty-foot, five-sided ridge pole was put in place, a man climbed to the top and threw a gallon jug of whiskey over his shoulder declaring the town of Sodom to be renamed to New Hope.

The mill originally contained three runs of stone and had a capacity of 200 bushels a day. In 1892, the mill began grinding with roller mills which are still in the mill today.

New Hope Mills has been a water powered industry from its beginning. The most visible item for water power is the overshot waterwheel. In 1972, the wheel was brought from New Jersey. The wheel was about 100 years old and very rusted which made it necessary for the buckets to be rebuilt of wood. In 1978, the buckets were rebuilt of sheet-metal that would have been used in making Brockway fenders. It is jokingly known as the only Brockway waterwheel in the world.

In today's modern, complex, and industrial society, the old fashioned way used here consistently produces quality without pollution! In fact, at New Hope Mills, the water is improved by its use; it is aerated as it passes over the waterwheel or through the turbine. The wheel does not put a drop of petroleum into the water because the wheel bearing is made of rare wood Lignum vitae that has its own lubricant.

Do not miss...
Carpenter Falls in close proximity to the Bahar Nature Preserve and Bear Swamp State Forest.– great place for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and four-wheeling.

Bahar Nature Preserve. A few miles north lies one of the Finger Lakes Land Trust's most prized treasures. This 25-acre woodland contains the Bear Swamp Creek Ravine and a 65-foot natural beach.

Skaneateles Lake. Access is either through the town of Scott the Bahar Preserve.

Pancakes. New Hope Mill's premier products are their specialty pancake mixes, which include Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, Cranberry and Buttermilk. You can order New Hope Mills products here.

Photography Tips
▪ Either of the 3 main mill pond cascades are easy to access and take pictures of. The best pictures of the mill and the lower waterfall are obtained by crossing the covered bridge and taking a wide-angle shot of the mill, waterwheel, and the waterfall. Use wide-angle lenses along with a polarizer to get the silky effect on the long exposure of the water.
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▪ See the Articles section for more waterfall photography tips.