Droescher’s Mill in Cranford, NJ, is situated directly on the banks of the Rahway River, and finds itself proudly featured on an enormous number of postcards, pictures, book covers, and artwork representing Cranford. It is a town icon.

Originally built in 1740, it was then known as the Williams Mill. Powered directly by the river current, it produced grain and lumber, as well a countless other supplies. Because this area was such a vital hub during the Revolutionary War, there is some speculation that both the Williams Mill and Cranes Mill, (built about 20 years prior to the Williams Mill), provided grain for Washington’s troops during the Revolution. It was easily accessed by Old York Road, which linked Philadelphia and New York and ran right across the ford, and later by the stagecoach road now known as Lincoln Avenue.

When Severin R. Droescher bought the old mill in the early 1900’s, he used it to manufacture barber supplies. He also installed the floodgates on the damn and built fieldstone retaining walls along the banks of the surrounding river, as part of his development efforts in and around the area of Lincoln Park.

Droescher’s Mill today

Now used as an office building, it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operated commercial building in New Jersey. Its cast-iron water turbine is still in place. Droescher’s Mill in Cranford, NJ, still stands beautifully and proudly on the Rahway, and is one of quite a few buildings in the area proudly included in the National Registry. For area residents, it is an icon of home. And it provides a beautiful backdrop for yoga, or for a pleasant walk or hike along the Rahway River trail. Doesn’t make for a bad postcard picture, either.

When you visit, you’ll notice that [eople in comfy clothes and carrying water bottles and rolled up mats can constantly be seen walking in and out of Alleum Yoga. It’s a great place to relieve stress and get in a good workout. It helps that the setting is one of a serene, wooded area, with the gentle sights and sounds of running water as a backdrop. To me, it’s proof that mills still stand as an important piece of the historical puzzle of our area.