Old Mill Foundation

I recently attended an engagement party of a very good friend of mine at the Old Mill. It was held in the courtyard and I thought it was a nice space to have such a gathering. It has great history, small enough to enjoy the grounds in less than an hour and I found it to be quiet & serene… I’ve driven through San Marino and even attended a wedding reception at the former Ritz-​Carlton off Oak Knoll which is just around the corner from the Old Mill. I had no idea it was there or even existed.
Parking is on the street at Old Mill Road or on the backside of the property Old Mill Lane. Check it out for a little bit of Southern California history. It’s worth going to once. Staff was friendly enough. They seemed to be watching us like hawks as we enjoyed the party. Haha… No messes were made. There is a restroom on the property detached from the main Mill structure. Nice small garden but you can walk the inside perimeter and enjoy them.

They said that General George Patton played on the grounds as a child, finding the original millstone wheels!
Beautiful garden spaces, oustanding history. It’s not a big place, tucked away amidst the mansions of San Marino, but very well maintained. I especially enjoyed the interactive model downstairs that showed how the mill ground grain. Other Unilocal reviewers already shared good information. The friendly staff thoroughly answers all questions.
This is a great side trip to combine with visiting the Huntington Library.

Wonderful little piece of history. And thanks to Unilocal, I saw the miniature painting event and went there. It is low key and in a super gorgeous old building– that used to be a mill. Take a stroll into the place, looks at the showing, wander downstairs and see a tiny functioning mill incased. Wander through the courtyard gardens and take in the silence. A nice weekend thing, short and sweet.
And please DONATE a few bucks to keep this going!

This place is a pretty, small and quiet garden and also the historical museum as well. I have been here couple of times before and whenever i came i felt kinda healing. My cherished place. After the parking on the Old Mill St., i could find a cute and brick wall entrance few feet from the street. As i came in, one family were already there and the kids playing and the mom talking with the staff.
Here was very quiet and lots of greens and flowers. On the right side the garden there are flower arched benches to sit and to get some fresh air. On the left side there is the two story historical museum. It is also tiny and only one staff worked there. In the basement there is historical mill and the first floor there is some art work exhibitions.
Tips: If i sign the paper, they will invite me the chamber concert three times: June, July, and August. The concert ticket price is only $ 15 and there is no offering intermission refreshment but they sell some wine and champagne during the intermission. The concert will be at the garden.

The Old Mill was Father Zalvedea’s master plan. He was pretty much a nut case in his later years and became infatuated with self flagellation… to the point that he would hammer nails into the bottom of his feet and walk around the mission grounds in San Diego wailing in agony. He was an interesting guy and fairly recluse, which makes it easier to understand the solitude of this place.

I visited The Old Mill (El Molino Viejo) in San Marino, CA on 12÷8÷2012. I’ve been there a time or two. A beautifully restored historic location. A pleasant way to spend about half an hour. I do agree that the best place to park is in the street. A hidden gem.

This place looks great from the outside, but I can never get in! I’ve tried to go on both a Saturday and a Sunday and the gate is locked and nobody is there!

I hate to leave a post that makes me look like a jerk, but there is not much to see because the building has been overhauled too many times. The water-​powered mechanism that milled grain is gone. There is a pleasant citrus garden. It’s a 15-​minute visit at most. Don’t drive into the property because it’s a road to nowhere. Just park on the street instead.

This place is a beautiful little hidden gem. The Old Mill Foundation is located in the beautiful and rich neighborhood of San Marino. From the outside, the Old Mill looks small, but once you walk into the gates, it is actually a very nice place. The museum itself is quite small and also very quiet (only opened 3 hours most days of the week… I can imagine that very few people actually come here). It will take you probably 10 minutes to look at everything. But even though it’s tiny, it has it’s charm and something about the building structure just draws me to this place.
But the real beauty is the garden… all I can say is WOW! I am highly impressed because again this place just looks like such a tiny place, you wouldn’t think to find a beautiful place here. There is a nice open quad that can be rented for events (alas, weddings are prohibited, reason being why I am not having my wedding here. but this place can be rented out for other events though) and there are many wonderful photo opportunities throughout the garden (great for engagement photos) with it’s gazebos, brick steps and walls, leafy arch ways and vegetation.
During the summer, there is a special Cal Phil concert and I would love to come and check it out this year.
Overall, beautiful place (oh and in case you were wondering, there are 2 clean restrooms inside the museum and 1 in the garden area) to come and discover a hidden gem in your local area. But parking here is limited, but it is doubtful that there would be that many people coming to visit here the same time you come (unless you check out the Cal Phil concert this summer like we are going to). This place is worth a visit, so come check it out.

Find a gorgeous day, go HERE, then go to the Huntington Hotel and check out the Picture Bridge. Do that. (nodding)

El Molino Viejo, the Old (I sound way better in Spanish) Mill, cute, small, hidden, old you. It could be more but it isn’t. Completed in 1816 as a grist mill, it is now the oldest commercial building in Southern California. Sitting amongst lovely terraced gardens with five foot thick earth walls and a few simple exhibits, the mill beckons you to fall back nearly 200 years. I like you, Old Mill, I really do.
But, the reason I LOVE you, Miss. Mill, is also the reason this post has been gathering dusts as a draft for six months or so. What I really really love are the summer Cal Phil at the Mill concerts. Concerts are limited, outside, with interesting LA Phil ensembles playing a variety of works. Melodies rising above the stars and hums of insects; gorgeous, playful, deep, hallowing sounds snapping crisp against the dark sky. Who is this, who is writing this review, a god damn poet? What I meant to say is… and there’s beer too! And bonus– a bemusing crowd of nicely dressed old people who precisely match the mill in an odd way. Old mill = old people?
The concerts sell out every time and you need to get in touch with your inner 200 year old self as they do not allow tickets to be purchased on-​line. You have to either give them your address so they can send you an order form and then you fill it out and send them money (what is the ice ages, shall I sign my check — the abominable snowman?) or buy them in person at the mill. They can’t fax or send you a pdf of the order form (what?!). Would some nice computer Unilocal geek please help them head into this century?
Go, it’s like having a slice of Italian villa at your fingertips.

This is a cool little museum/​historical building (California Historical Landmark No. 302). I enjoyed walking around the outside to get a good view of this old structure. Inside were some exhibits and art work. I decided to park on the street, as it is a little tight up the driveway which ends at a private residence with almost no space to turn a vehicle around. Entry was free but donations are excepted, and check out the items for sale, too.

I live really close so whenever I’m on a run I stop in to look at the breathtaking gardens and art show that they change every once and a while!
Lovely place to visit, but the people living in the back house aren’t that nice unfortunately.

Just a note, the old mill sometimes hosts quartets by the california philharmonic during the summer months. I attended one of these events last year. It was wonderful to sit outside during a summer month and enjoy the history as well as beautiful music. They even distribute «OFF» mosquito repellent towellettes at the entrance.
Evenings like that reminds me of how blessed we are-​not only do we live in a fantastic country, but what beautiful weather and what wonderful talent we have.

oh, now this is a hidden gem in san marino. i never would have found it if i hadn’t been on a bike ride. i saw the sign and decided to stop on a whim.
the old mill is actually a real old mill (imagine that) that was completed in 1816 as a grist mill for the mission san gabriel. for a time it was used as a residence. there are incredible wood beams and floors and the walls are five feet thick!
there is a small gallery with rotating exhibitions and the grounds, though small, are beautifully landscaped with pomegranate trees and succulents.
it’s a gorgeous and isolated place that would be wonderful if you needed some solitude, quiet, and beauty. i believe you can also have private events here; the cal phil has played three small concerts there this summer, with the final one taking place tonight.
there doesn’t seem to be any entrance fee but donations are welcome.

Yes, its a historical landmark. Ya, its old. What else can I say?
If you live within 10 minutes, check it out some time. It will take about 5 minutes to walk around the «museum». It is pretty interesting, but unless you are REALLY into California history, pass. Check out my photos and maybe the website and you are good.

Small and totally hidden to most, this place packs a lot of historical punch. Just look at the facts. It was the grist mill for the San Gabriel Mission, the area’s leading lady on the mission stage. But it was this mill which was the oldest commerical building in So Cal.
Today, the museum has a small gallery with art for sale. And outside, it boasts a California native garden, which is very hip at the moment.
Truly, this is a worthwhile stop on the mission circuit or for anyone interested in a little more Early California history.