This book will provide the reader with a beginning understanding about water powered grist mills in North Carolina. These mills were a very important industry. The British established laws in order to properly develop and regulate this necessary industry in the early 18th century. This book includes an overview of all the laws established from the 1700s to the late 1800s. In addition examples of actual petitions and surveys, and other mill records are included. Several mill sites have been surveyed by this author, and are used to illustrate the different designs (dams and races). Also included are actual petition documents used to illustrate the type's of records in the State Archives, as well as the laws of N.C. Finally, an appendix section includes a number of images of different mill stones found throughout this author's travel.