A 180-year-old water-powered mill just north of St. Helena is getting its moment in the spotlight later this month, as the Napa Valley State Parks Association marks the Bale Grist Mill’s 180th anniversary with its annual Harvest Dinner. The evening, set for 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 19, will bring food and music to the historic grounds at 3369 St. Helena Highway, with the mill’s massive water wheel illuminated for the occasion.
The celebration carries extra weight this year because it will also honor the late Bill Dyer, a longtime Napa Valley grape grower, winemaker and naturalist who died on April 18 at age 77, according to The Napa Valley Register. Dyer spent 20 years at Sterling Vineyards before co-founding Dyer Vineyard on Diamond Mountain with his wife, Dawnine, per Wine Business. In his memory, the Napa Valley State Parks Association has established the Bill Dyer Napa State Parks Fund, the Register reports.
Dyer’s connection to historic preservation ran deeper than the vineyard. He was associated with the Napa Valley Wine Library Association, an organization focused on Napa Valley viticulture, enology and wine lore, according to the Napa Valley Wine Library Association.
Direct Descendants Return to the Mill
Also attending the dinner will be direct descendants of the Bale and Lyman families, who owned the mill during pioneer times, the Register notes. The mill’s ownership history includes the Bale and Lyman families, among others…