Cathy Miller’s People Pic of the Week combines people, history, and a town.

On November 27, Asbury Coffee Mill, located at 432 Old Main Street in Asbury, presented a fascinating talk on the restoration of the old Asbury Grist Mill. Guest speakers were Chuck Gullage, trustee emeritus of the Musconetcong Watershed Association (MWA) and Rudy DiGilio, a local historian. DiGilio was employed at the Asbury Graphite Mill for 33 years, retiring in 2010 as International Sales Manager for Asia, having first hand experience with the Mill’s operation and environment. Gullage stepped down as project manager for the restoration in February, after initiating the design with conceptual sketches in 2010, and physical work beginning in 2012. Once the Mill is fully restored, the upper floors will be used as office space, while the ground floor will feature a museum, including old photos, original documents, and salvaged equipment; an exhibit space; and a meeting space/classroom. Seen in the photo above are Rudy DiGilio (left) and Chuck Gullage (right). The two wooden bowls were beautifully crafted by DiGilio from 12 x 12 beams salvaged from the Mill.

The original Asbury Grist Mill was built along the Muskie around 1865-1867, and served as a water-powered, grain-grinding mill for local farmers. Over time, residential use consumed the farmland, and grain farms dwindled. In 1895, entrepreneur and visionary Harry M. Riddle leased the Asbury Grist Mill. After a friend told him about the vast potential of graphite, Mr. Riddle converted the grist mill to a graphite mill. The site was active into the 1970s, when the business relocated to the building across the river, and is now Asbury Carbons. In 1999, the Riddle family, owners of Asbury Carbons, donated the old Mill to the MWA. 2020 will mark the 125th anniversary of Asbury Carbons – an impressive milestone, which began with a millstone!

For a lavish history of Asbury Carbons, visit: asbury.com/about-us/history/
For more on the Musconetcong Watershed Association and their work, visit: musconetcong.org/
If interested in touring the Asbury Grist Mill, leave message at 908-574-2147 (Asbury Coffee Mill)

Cathy Miller, an award-winning photographer who’s been capturing the faces of Warren County for many years, has had her work appear in numerous publications, local, statewide, and beyond.