Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

A different perspective on the Stone Mill.

Photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen

Jane Dorfman was Reference Librarian/Exhibitions Coordinator in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library.

In recognition of the newly renovated and rededicated Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill, the LuEsther T. Mertz Library has installed a display in the Rare Book and Folio Room window that details the evolution of the building.

The display includes historic images of the dam and the two mills built by the Lorillards, the family who purchased the site in 1792 on the property that would become The New York Botanical Garden. The family built a major tobacco manufacturing company, one that rivaled those in Virginia. The top image pictured is circa 1936 and the other is from 1967.

Originally built in 1840, the current structure was the third mill on the site. The mill used the Bronx River to power the waterwheels that produced tobacco and snuff. The mill was abandoned in 1870 when the company moved to New Jersey and was later purchased by the City of New York for parkland. It wasn’t until 1937 that the mill was officially transferred to the Garden.

The display will run through January and is available for viewing during Library hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 12–6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 12–5 p.m.

Click here to view a video of the opening of the Stone Mill in September.

And on Tuesday, Mingle with Martha at a Champagne Cocktail Party

The Garden’s newly renovated Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill will be open to the public again this Saturday and Sunday for a second and final weekend. Visitors can view the landmark building and tour the Stone Mill precinct, which is one of the largest, most varied historic landscapes in New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley.

In addition, this weekend visitors also can delight in cooking demos and fall activities for families as part of The Edible Garden as well as enjoy A Season in Poetry and more (details below)! You’ll also want to save the date Tuesday, September 21, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. to mingle with Martha Stewart at a Champagne Cocktail Party in the Garden. read more »

Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill Opens after $11 Million Restoration

After two years of meticulous restoration, the Stone Mill, one of New York City’s most picturesque extant pre-Civil War industrial buildings, reopens with a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Built in 1840, the Stone Mill was designated a New York City Landmark in 1966 and a National Historic Landmark in 1976.

The landscape around the Mill was also restored, including an intricate design that treats stormwater runoff into the Bronx River and utilizes native species in the extensive plantings. The Stone Mill precinct is one of the largest, most varied historic landscapes in New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley. Comprising 100 acres, it includes three mid-19th-century buildings; a camel-back bridge; eight gardens and collections, several from the first half of the 20th century; the ancient Native Forest; and the Bronx River and gorge, all set within the Garden’s 250-acre National Historic Landmark site.

The Stone Mill is available for community meetings, conferences, and social gatherings, and it provides much-needed office space for Horticulture curators. It was restored with the generous support of The Lillian Goldman Charitable Trust and The Amy P. Goldman Foundation. Major support was also received from The City of New York, Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor; Kate D. Levin, Commissioner, Department of Cultural Affairs. Additional funding was received from Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Nolen; New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation; New York State, Office of the Attorney General and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Bronx River Watershed Initiative; and The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. read more »