The Grist Mill

Redding Connecicut

Mark Twain arrived in Redding on June 18, 1908. He had never been to Redding, although his first land purchase had been in 1906. Twain bought the property site unseen on the recommendation of his biographer Albert Bigelow Paine who lived in Redding with his family. Construction of his new home began in the spring of 1907. He was fond of saying that he didn't want to see it, "until the cat is purring beside the hearth". He arrived at Redding station shortly before 6pm. A small crowd of townspeople had gathered to welcome him. On the three mile carriage drive to his house he passed this mill-dam over the Saugatuck river. The Grist mill is gone but the water that powered it still flows purposely over the 19th Century stone dam.

James