"Amityville was called West Neck South until 1840 and the road from Hempstead to Babylon was flanked by only a few scattered houses.  Colonel Pyatt Conklin, son of Captain Jacob Conklin was one of the early land owners.  There was a grist mill and a saw mill on Ireland's Brook owned and conducted by three successive generations of the Ireland's.  Abraham Wanzer erected one of the first houses in Babylon and Zebulon Ketcham built the first motel (George Washington stayed at Ketcham's on his "victory tour" of Long Island).

The old flour and grist mill on the bank of Carman's pond, bordering the South Turnpike at Amityville was built about two centuries ago (this book being written in 1924) by Thomas Carman, Senior.  His heirs sold the property in 1886 to Dr. William Polk.   He ran the mill for twenty years thereafter.

Thomas Carman, Jr. built a companion mill on the opposite side of the pond about seventy years ago.  It ground wheat exclusively.  The first Carman mill was constructed of massive hewn timbers.  The nails used in its construction were hand-made.  Although repaired several times the old building retains its original lines.  The machinery is operated by water power.  Almost two hundred persons carved their initials carved their names on the shingles which covered the weather side. Many of them became prominent in business and social circles in Amityville. Others moved away and succeeded in life; others died, but the shingles formed one of the most interesting collection of autographs on Long Island.

The mill was a favorite with artists because of the peculiar architecture and its picturesque setting.  Not one of its owners was a practical miller.  They hired millers to grind for them, and the farmers for miles around were their customers.  The business was excellent down to the first decade of the twentieth century". - Text from "The Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, Counties of Nassau and Suffolk Long Island, New York 1609-1924, by Henry Isham Hazelton, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1925. 

 Illustration found by Patricia Tidmarsh in an old book, whose name is lost. This mill is often confused with the Mill on the Carman River, but they are nothing alike.

The statement above about the Carman's not being millers, but gentlemen owners, shows how Thomas Carman Jr. did well in life. His nick-name was "Dumb Tom", because he was born a mute, probably deaf as well, as were his two sisters. Although Thomas lived but 51 years, he managed the Mill, two wives and four children - not bad for a man of his time and disabilities.

Confirmation of the mill painting above comes from this circa 1890 photo of the mill. Although some artistic license was taken in illustration, the tall "stilts" are obvious as well as the water wheel.  Photo from "Physical Long Island It's Glacial Origin, Historic Storms, Beaches, Prairies and Archeology", Paul Bailey, 1959 page 50 (thanks again to Lynn Carman Lewis for the photo!)