Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park

Bale Grist Mill

Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park

Park Amenity Icons

 

 

Activities: Hiking, Historical Tours, Educational Activities, Accessible Trails

Location: 3369 Saint Helena Hwy N, Saint Helena, California 94574 (Google Map here).

Hours: Saturdays/Sundays 10:00am-4:00pm. The park is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.

Contact: Please email us at StateParks@ncrposd.org or call (707)942-4575 with any questions and we’ll get back to your as quickly as we can.

Fees & Details: Adults $8/Children 6-17 $3/Children under 6 are free. Milling demonstrations and historic tours are available during regular hours of operation. See below for details about school field trips. Dogs are not allowed at this park.

Amenities: Parking, restrooms, and drinking water are available at the park. Wifi available. Some accessible trails and features.

Park Rules: Please stay on trails at all times. Please be respectful of historic sites and items in the park. Collecting or destroying anything in the park, including mushrooms, is prohibited.

Volunteer with Us! If you would like to join the volunteer list for the local State Parks (operated by NOSD), click here.

Maps and Park Notes: Google Map to park, Bale Grist Mill Brochure, Bale Grist Mill Brochure (Spanish)

Bale Grist Mill Collage

Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park offers an authentic peek into Californians’ rural heritage. Built in 1846, the mill was a central piece of life during the early development of the Napa Valley as settlers came to have their grain ground into meal or flour.

Now protected as a State Historic Landmark as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Bale Grist Mill is operated by Napa Open Space in partnership with the Napa Valley State Parks Association. The park contains the functioning mill itself as well as the first church founded in the Napa Valley and the historic Pioneer Cemetery.Napa's State Parks are Proudly Managed by NOSD with support from NVSPA

The Bale Grist Mill is one of only a handful of mills of its kind still functioning in the U.S. and offers tours and milling demonstrations, special events, and educational activities to celebrate the history of the region. The mill is ADA accessible.

See details below about the history of the mill, hiking options & points of interest, information about tours, virtual tours, special events at the mill, and more!

Historic Importance of the Mill

The mill was built in 1846 by Dr. Edward Turner Bale, who received the property in a land grant from the Mexican government and lived near the site until his death in 1849. It was central to daily life in the area and farmers brought their grain to be milled into meals and flours, congregate, and visit with neighbors.

After Dr. Bale’s death, his wife Maria Soberanes (niece of General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo) assumed control of the mill’s operation. A savvy businesswoman, she did very well for herself in following years and became one of the most wealthy people in the Napa Valley at that time. The mill eventually changed hands, but remained in active use until the early 1900’s.

The mill was a technical innovation in the late 1800’s and was an enormous help in converting grain to more useable meals and flours for consumption. Grain was placed into the boot of an elevator to be mechanically transported upstairs to be cleaned and sifted by various types of equipment – a technical wonder for the Pioneers. The slow turning of the old grind stones gave the fresh meal a special quality for making cornbread, yellow bread, shortening bread and spoon bread.

Visitors can watch the original set of French Buhr millstones & 36 foot water wheel in action when the miller grinds grain into Bale Mill flours and meals.

Restoration of the Water Wheel

Water wheel restoration at Bale Grist Mill.

Restoration of the historic water wheel is was completed in 2020! This complex and intricate restoration was completed by the on Napa Open Space with financial assistance from the Napa Valley State Parks Association. This restoration was exciting challenge that required specialized experience and customized redwood pieces.

The waterwheel which drives the mill stones and other equipment was last restored in the 1980’s and was at the end of its life. This important project allows for the continued operation and preservation of the mill for education and interpretation for local public and school groups, as well as visitors from around the world.  The photo to the left shows the wheel with both new and older parts during this project. Read more about the restoration project here.

This restoration work would not be possible without the continued support of the Napa Valley State Parks Association and generous individual donors.

Hiking the History Trail

From the Mill, the History Trail is a moderate, 2.4 mile round trip single-track trail that connects to Bothe Napa Valley State Park which offers year-round camping, picnicking, hiking and seasonal swimming. Points of interest along the way include visiting Pioneer Cemetery which contains the remains of several early Napa Valley pioneers, and White Church, the first church in Napa Valley which was named after the founding Minister Asa White.

The trail passes through dense forest, clearings filled with chaparral shrubs, and a riparian corridor along Mill Creek. This trail should be of interest to plant and bird lovers as well as history buffs. Click here to see a park brochure and trail map.

Virtual Tours of the Bale Mill

While nothing beats an in person experience touring the old mill, the videos and photos below can at least get you a taste of this historic site at home. We have created a video series with our Lead Miller that discusses much of the history and educational information that is included in our in-person tours.

Photos of the Bale Grist Mill

School Field Trips, Private Tours, Special EventsFiesta Dancers at Bale Mill

School tours are available on weekdays with advance reservations. If you are interested in school tours or field trips, please email us at info@ncrposd.org.       Field Trip Request Form

Special Events are hosted throughout the year and the Napa Open Space District has a variety of family friendly events on the calendar. Join us for our Harvest Dinner, Old Mill Days, Pioneer Christmas, or our Fiesta en el Molino Bale celebrating Mexican Independence. To inquire about special events, availability or pricing, please contact jessica@ncrposd.org or (707)299-2175.

Click here to see Napa Open Space’s events calendar!

Additional Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park Information and Articles: