Tohna Farm Mill, Karhula

A wind-powered corn mill in Finland.

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The mill was built in 1810 and was working up to the 1930's. In 1967 it was completely repaired with money provided by the local Lions' Club to be preserved as a monument and worked occasionally. It was in fact used for the 1967 crop; the traditional new crop of rye porridge was made, and the occupants of an old people's home in the parish were invited to spend half a day on the farm. The mill stands out in the fields away from the farm and with two granaries adjacent. The lock of the left hand granary has an escutcheon plate dated 1778, Outside the granary, perched up on an old lantern pinion, was a 3 ft, diameter red granite stone dressed concave, but it was not possible to find out definitely to waht use it had been put - probably peeling. the body of the mill is framed and vertically boarded; it carries equal sails (of the straight tapering variety) and has an attractive small porch at the rear. The stone chamber is of interlocked construction. there is a compass-arm headwheel, a lantern wallower, and a windshaft which is square, tapered and has a stone neck bearing. The main side girts rest on a two-piece crowntree; the sheers are tapered and has a stone neck bearing. The main side girts rest on a two-piece crowntree; the sheers are cottered to the lower tail beams. The horizontal tailpole has two hinged handling poles.

Inside the stone chamber is the following inscription:

"TÄMÄ:MYLY:ON:WALMISTETV

TOVKO:KVSA:WVANA 1810

MATI:TOHNAIUHA"

Translated this means "This mill was built in the month of May in the year 1810. Matthew Tohna."

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Location

References

• TIMS Mills GPS Database Mill ID 2999
• Wailes, Rex, & Auvo Hirsjärvi, "Finnish Mills Part III: Hollow Post Mills", (Transactions of the Newcomen Society, 44, 1971-1972, pp.99-118)

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