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What's Up Down by the Old Mill Stream
May 2024
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It’s the season for ducklings! Keep an eye out for baby animals like these as you visit the park this spring.
Though female Wood Ducks lack the colorful plumage of the males, they can be identified by the white teardrop shape around their eyes, the slight crest on their head, and the white at the edge of the blue patch on their wings. Last year, we had more than 100 eggs laid in the Wood Duck nest boxes around the park! Special thanks to the NCSU Leopold Wildlife Club for helping park staff monitor and maintain these boxes.
Special thanks also to park visitor Dave Dorman for this photo.
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Closing Time
Please note that the park's closing time will change from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, May 20.
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The next time you visit the park, you may notice scaffolding in front of the entrance to the A. E. Finley Center (the park's visitor center) and the park restrooms. Workers are installing a new roof. The center and park restrooms remain open.
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Yates Mill Corn Meal Is Back in Stock!
Yates Mill's corn meal is once again available for sale!
This corn meal is ground the old-fashioned way at Yates Mill, where the 12-foot tall waterwheel drives a set of quartzite millstones. Whole-kernel, dried corn is ground into corn meal using a slow and steady process that does not heat the meal, as in more modern processing plants, resulting in a delicious flavor and wonderful texture. All proceeds from sales go to our partner, Yates Mill Associates, the nonprofit group that works to keep the mill in operation.
To watch the millstones in action grinding corn into meal, visit the gristmill on our next corn grinding weekend, May 18 and 19.
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May Programs!
Registration is required for all participants (adults & children), and children must have adult accompaniment. Some programs will take place outdoors, so please dress appropriately for the weather.
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Hands-On History: Map Making
Friday, May 10, 1-3 p.m.
How did people live while Yates Mill was operating as a business from the mid-1700s to the mid-1900s? Join us for a drop-in, hands-on activity to learn the history of maps in the area and make your own map of the park! This program will meet in the mill yard by Historic Yates Mill. For all ages; registration is not required as this is a drop-in program. FREE.
Canoeing and Fishing on the Pond
Saturday, May 11, 9:30-11 a.m.
Learn basic canoeing skills and a bit about the history of the millpond, then head out for a self-guided exploration of many features of the pond as seen only from the water. If you have a NC fishing license, you can also bring fishing poles and bait (note that minnows are not permitted as bait) so you can fish from the canoe! Canoes, paddles, and life jackets are provided (no outside boats are permitted); fishing equipment is not provided. For ages 5 and up (with an accompanying adult); FREE. Each canoe can hold 1-4 people (800-pound total weight limit). Registration PER BOAT is required. If you only need 1 boat, please register just 1 member of your group.
Park Tales: The Bugliest Bug
May 16, 10-10:45 am
Enjoy this children's book about a "bugliest bug" contest, featuring a variety of insects—and a group of spiders looking for a meal! Find out which bug saves the day, then discover the difference between insects and spiders, make crafts, and go on a scavenger hunt looking for bugs. Best for ages 6 & under; registration is required for all family members. FREE.
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Yates by Night: Fairy Party
Friday, May 24, 6-7 p.m.
Have you ever seen a fairy at Yates Mill? Join us for a walk around the park to explore the places fairies might live, like lily pads, mushrooms, or logs! Learn about these magical habitats and be enchanted by nature. Make fairy related crafts to take home. Fairy costumes welcomed! Best for ages 12 & under; adult accompaniment required. FREE.
Hike with a Naturalist
Friday, May 31, 9-10:30 a.m.
Enjoy this hike with a park naturalist to see what we can find! Come prepared to hike at least a mile by wearing closed-toe shoes and bringing a full water bottle. Suggested for ages 8 and up. Registration required. FREE.
Virtual ecoEXPLORE: Totally Turtles
Friday, May 31, 3-4 pm
There are about 20 species of turtles in North Carolina. Join this virtual program to learn what makes them all special and how to tell them all apart! Best for children in grades K-8. FREE. Registration is through the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences.
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Register for programs using the link below!
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Join us on weekend afternoons for fascinating glimpses inside the historic gristmill
Our Mill Heritage Tours are offered on Saturdays, May 4, 11, & 25 at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., & 3 p.m., and on Sundays, May 5, 12, & 26 at 2 p.m. & 3 p.m.
Discover Historic Yates Mill—a place of business, community, and exciting local history! Watch a brief video, then explore the inner workings of the mill itself.
You can also join our Corn Grinding Tours on Saturday, May 18, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4 p.m., and on Sunday, May 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. Step back in time with our historic interpreters and watch the millstones at work grinding corn into meal. (Please note that no tours are offered between noon and 1 p.m. on Saturday and that the last tour of the day starts at 3:40 p.m.)
Tickets for mill tours cost $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (age 60 and up), and $3 for children (ages 7-16); children ages 6 and under are free. All proceeds go to our partner, Yates Mill Associates, the nonprofit organization that maintains and operates the mill.
Register here.
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Self-Guided Activities!
In-Person
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Exploration Station:
Mussel Mania
May 10-19, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Yates Mill is home to many incredible animals, including freshwater mussels! Unfortunately, some mussel species in Raleigh are endangered. N.C. State University researchers have been hard at work to ensure these species can survive. Join us learn more about these species and how we can help endangered species as a whole. This self-guided exhibit will be available inside the A.E. Finley Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is not required.
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StoryWalk® at
Historic Yates Mill
The Honeybee
May 3-30
Read a children’s book while you enjoy a self-guided nature walk. Our May StoryWalk® features The Honeybee. Buzz from flower to flower with a sweet honeybee in this timely, clever, and breathtakingly gorgeous picture book from critically acclaimed author Kirsten Hall and award-winning illustrator Isabelle Arsenault.
Join us for this fun, self-guided activity, which will start at the parking lot kiosk near the Visitor Center and end near the mill. The StoryWalk® Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont, and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
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Volunteers Needed
Are you interested in helping out
at Historic Yates Mill?
Call us or stop by the park to learn about the
exciting and important ways that you can lend a hand.
To learn more, call
(919) 856-6675
or send an
email to
yatesmill@wake.gov.
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Volunteer Interest Sessions
Do you have any questions you want to ask park staff before committing to being a volunteer? Do you want to learn more about the different ways you can volunteer? Join us at our drop-in Volunteer Interest Sessions! Meet our volunteer coordinator at our volunteer table, which will be set up outside of the A.E. Finley Center (or inside, depending on the weather).
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Tuesday, May 28
10 a.m.-noon.
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Group programs and tours can be requested and scheduled for schools and other organized groups. You can learn more about the types of group programs and field trips offered by this park below. | | | |
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Our Instagram contest is all new in 2024! When you’re out at our parks or preserves and take a fantastic photo, share it on Instagram and tag @WakeGovParks for your chance to win a custom water bottle! We’ll pick a new winner each month. In addition to the prize, we’ll also feature your photo on our socials.
Good luck, and happy snapping!
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Have you enjoyed a day in the park recently; walked on our trails; enjoyed a family picnic; or simply have something you'd like us to know about? Please select the link below to fill out a short anonymous survey so we can know what you and our other park visitors are thinking about!
Let us know about your visit.
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Are you a professional or amateur photographer interested in taking photos at Historic Yates Mill County Park? Wake County’s parks and preserves provide the perfect backdrop for your bridal, graduation, prom or family photos. To ensure that all park visitors have an enjoyable experience, registration is required for professional, client-based photo shoots.
Register Here.
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Join Our Junior Park Explorers
Do you like to explore parks and preserves? Do you like winning prizes? Our Junior Park Explorers program is for you!
Learn more here.
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See what's happening on our social media sites: | | | | |
