When hearing news about hurricanes it's natural to think of them as storms in the tropics . . . wrecking havoc in the Caribbean Islands, Florida and the coast all around the Gulf of Mexico. Quite a different story when Hurricane Irene (2011) made landfall in North Carolina and quickly headed to the northeast. Although sparing large cities, the storm's heavy rain and floodwaters caused severe problems up the coast. Further inland, New York and Vermont suffered the worst damage, with areas reporting historic flood levels, massive power outages and as many as 40 deaths.
   Schoharie County, a hilly country heavily influenced by the Catskills, also experienced a severely swollen Schoharie Creek that wiped out everything in its path. Recording its highest levels ever, Schoharie Creek devastated the town of Esperance, ripping houses from their foundations, damaging roads, washing away the historic Blenheim Covered Bridge and issuing extraordinary losses.
   One of the survivors of this dreadful storm was the Caverns Creek Grist Mill. Located in the heart of Schoharie County, the historic landmark managed to stand up to the rare storm and appears here unscathed. Approaching the 200 year mark, the restored mill operates as an educational center and historic exhibit. The quaint country mill store offers local products and its own Caverns Creek Grist Mill flour, stone-ground cornmeal and pancake mixes. The mill invites its guests to put their noses to the grindstone, so they can boast that they've been through the mill.

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