3.5 ton relic found in Gaithersburg

When Gaithersburg resident Tova Fliegel asked city employees to replace an old retaining wall in hopes that it would give relief to her property's flooding problem, a century-old mill flywheel was discovered.

A backhoe hit against the 7,000-pound flywheel buried less than 10 feet below the surface of Fliegel's property on East Diamond Avenue in Olde Towne, according to a Gazette report.

The wheel was part of a steam engine that crushed grains and other products into flour, animal feed and fertilizer, according to records. It likely dates to 1891, when the Gaithersburg Milling and Manufacturing Co. was first built, or 1903, when it was rebuilt after a fire.

Fleigel says she plans to sandblast the rust off of the wheel and have it repainted.

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