Own Shepherd’s Mill, Home of the World’s Oldest Overshot Water Wheel

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Humans have always been drawn to water, whether for fertilizing crops, journeying the seas, or simply watching it flow by. If you’re hep to H20, we’ve found a place where you can get in touch with the intimate rhythms of a river.

This historic home in Shepherdstown, WV, has floated onto the market for $795,000 and includes a single bedroom and a single bathroom amid its 3,640 square feet. But most important, the living space is anchored by a historic overshot water wheel (and mill) that dates to Colonial times.

A vertical mount and distinct rotation style are the hallmarks of an overshot water wheel. Water enters just over the top of the wheel, slightly beyond the axle. The Shepherd’s Mill wheel still turns when water runs over it, as do all the gears inside. It measures in at a massive 120 feet high with a 40-foot diameter.

Shepherd’s Mill

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Exterior

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“Trying to find one of these that even worked was impossible,” says listing agent Drew Johnson. The investment company that owns the property researched overshot wheels internationally. They believe this is the oldest and largest still-functioning wheel based on their findings, though there is an older wheel in Belgium that doesn’t work. A plaque on the side of the building states Shepherd’s wheel is the largest in the world.

Town founder Thomas Shepherd built the property in 1738, and it served as his family’s gristmill for years. It passed through the hands of two more owners and underwent a restoration in the 1980s. After the mill’s most recent owner died, it became the property of a local investment company.

An appropriately historic-looking painting featuring the name of the mill and two shepherd figures with a sheep adorns one side of the building. Exposed beams and stone walls and accents distinguish the interior. Water naturally runs through the property, including a small waterfall.

Inside the mill

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Mill plaque

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“It’s old, it’s been restored, it’s absolutely beautiful,” says Johnson.

The house still needs more restoration work, and could be an ideal project for an architect or engineer who appreciates the ingenuity of engineers from another era.

The oldest town in West Virginia, Shepherdstown has a bit of a reputation. As the site of multiple Civil War battles and hospitals, Shepherdstown has enough history to cultivate a few restless spirits, and the Discovery Channel called it the most haunted town in American. The police chief reached out to a paranormal investigator after his department kept receiving calls that seemed paranormal in nature. The call eventually led to the town getting its own television show, “Ghosts of Shepherdstown.”

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