Our Master Plan is developed as a general decision making guide addressing the important goals of the Heritage Grist Mill Association in the Restoration and Rehabilitation of the Harison Morley Grist Mill. When completed the Harison Morley Grist Mill will preserve the community’s history and provide an educational tool for history classes from elementary to college level.
The Harison Morley Grist Mill is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, m R2553 [ NY State listed 03/06/82, Federal listed 09/16/82]. The Heritage Grist Mill Association is a Museum Chartered organization from the NY State Education Department, and a Not-for-Profit Corporation [ 501 (c)3 status].

Additional permits and administrative procedures required by NY State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are ongoing tasks throughout year 2000. Awarding of an A&E Services contract in 2000 will enable definitive design plans to be accomplished and US Army Corps of Engineer - Buffalo Office Permit, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Permits, New York State Department of Transportation, and St Lawrence County Highway Department Permit, as well as Town of Canton Building Permits to be secured. All permits must be in place before the planned permanent repair to the West Mill Outer Wall, river level up to and including third story level, can begin. While it was hoped this work would be accomplished during 2000 construction season, it will be 2001 construction season before all permits and other requirements can be satisfied. The Association proposes to reconstruct the West Mill Wall. The Hurst Frame and First Floor Level shall be reconstructed to complete initial mill structural stabilization.

Upon stabilization of the Mill Exterior Stone Walls and securing stability of the building foundation, the task of reconditioning and rebuilding major building elements will begin. Concurrent with the rebuilding of the primary building, as found by this organization and its forerunners (circa 1980's), will be the reconstruction of major appendages such as a covered portal over the main mill entrance door, a north end shed providing covered handicap access, and a north-west elevated walk for visitor viewing of the mill’s exterior and water power workings. The interior mill wooden floors and supporting wood beams must be reconditioned, or replaced with new wood components made and fitted-assembled in accordance with practices and methods of the 1840 era. The mill roof supporting structure must be rebuilt, and a wood shingle roof constructed [ replacing the corrugated steel roofing over rotten rafters] and eave and fascia trim replaced. The wood case double hung windows are being constructed by Amish craftsmen during the latter half of 2000 and will be installed as soon as the structure is stabilized [ planned for late summer 2001].

The grain storage bins, grain elevator, grinding circuit and power train must be reconstructed and installed. There will be a requirement for minimum health and safety modernization within the Mill and its property. Public restrooms, lighting, fire and smoke alarms are a few examples of modern day features that must be designed and constructed into this facility without distracting from the 1840's Grist Mill Presentation. It is planned to provide a single working circuit as soon as possible, with another circuit in various stages of completion, thus being a teaching aid. This Mill may someday have additional circuits, providing funds are available to reconstruct up to four circuits thought to have been in use at one time. Exterior facilities must be completed concurrently with this interior construction phase.

There will need to be permanent vehicle parking facilities, either with the acquiring of contiguous, or non-contiguous, property [and bus service, or horse and buckboard, to the mill] and required site grading [include landscaping], storm drainage, paving, fencing and signage.

Thomas L. Harison built the Grist Mill, School House and Stone Church in the 1840's. The Stone Church remains today and is also on the National Register of Historic Places. The Grist Mill was used to grind locally grown grain into flour and provide animal feed to cows and horses. Morley, originally called Long Rapids, was the site of many water powered factories. The Harison Morley Grist Mill is the sole remaining structure. The Harison Morley Mill was centrally located for the Canton, Lisbon and Madrid farmers of the 1840's to 1930's.

Artifacts discovered during excavations have been cleaned, identified, catalogued and displayed within the completed Mill. The Heritage Grist Mill Association is undertaking a historically accurate restoration and interpretation of this important stone and heavy timber building. The Mill of white sandstone [quarried locally ] stands as the sole remaining grist mill in St Lawrence County [there were 39 mills registered in 1860] and provides a valuable educational resource within St Lawrence County and northern New York.

The Harison Morley Grist Mill will be developed into a public educational site, residents of and visitors to the area will have the opportunity to learn about the County’s past. The restored grist mill will provide the experience of how grist mills operated in the 19 th century, and subsequently contributed to the agricultural diversity, which was the key to former prosperity of the region. This facility will educate visitors on the sandstone’s durability and strength in masonry construction. It will demonstrate how rivers powered industries in communities, as early entrepreneurs built near stretches of fast water to power their grist mills, saw mills, tanneries and other businesses. Local school districts [St Lawrence, Lewis and Franklin Counties] will no longer have to travel to Upper Canada Village to gain access to a working mill. This will be a tremendous benefit as teachers present that mandated local history component of their lesson.

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