A trip to Graue Mill

A local gem we don't visit often enough, we snuck over to Oak Brook's Graue Mill for a little autumn splendor and history, wrapped into one.
Oh, and we were trying to take a Christmas card photo, too.
The kind volunteers put Will to work, teaching him different ways to grind corn into meal.
Check out the muscle behind this hand-cranked machine to remove corn kernels from the cob.
Just like 150 years ago -- except now with, um, electricity -- we see how the mill works.
Will learned how pioneers made thread from wool (and how pioneer moms kept their kids busy), and how they created cloth on a loom.
Both kids got a kick out of a hands-on exhibit on making pie.
According to Will, his pie includes cherries, blueberries, grapes and apples. Mmm.
We also learned more about the Graue Mill as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Will even found a photo of his school's namesake!