In the spring of 2013 the BC Government requested proposals from potential oprators for the historic Grist Mill in Keremeos. The accepted proposal was received from Mathieson Heritage Services, who took over operation of the site in 2013. The Similkameen News Leader published an article concerning the event in their April 02, 2013 issue, which is reprinted below.
(The Similkameen News Leader's online format is a bit unusual. To find the article at the given URL one must scroll to the date, April 02, 2013, then to the news item. Dates appear in reverse chronological order.)
Truthfully, it lay idle for the majority of its life, and was recently restored to its original condition, the machinery reinstalled and put back into operation.
When built in 1877 it used rudimentary machinery which was capable of producing only whole wheat flour. In 1881 new machinery was installed, allowing the production of white flour, a real innovation at that time.
The building of the railroad caused local trade routes to fall into disuse, and with them a demand for locally ground flour. The mill soon stopped production of flour entirely. It stood unused until the 1940s, when it was used as a chicken coop and all the machinery simply tossed into the lower floor.
Very recently its heritage value became clear and the mill was totally restored and brought back into flour production, if only as a novelty and a tourist draw.
In recognition of its heritage value it was formally recognized as a British Columbia Heritage Site on November 19, 1974.
It is one of 23 heritage properties owned by the Province of BC.
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